A Bolt to the Past
by HyperTomboi429
Summary: Imagine losing the ones you loved in a mere moment, and you were forced to run away. Imagine living with your future enemy, yet you still saw him as a father figure. Imagine thinking he's now dead like your parents, and you were then rescued by your soon-to-be teacher. Imagine a mere visit becoming an eternal rivalry between good and good. This is my past. OC based; some AU
1. A New Life

**Chapter 1: A New Life**

**Disclaimer: All official Sonic characters belong to Sega and Sonic Team. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

_Fire. Smoke. __Burning wood. Dead plants. I saw all this, and fell to my knees in a state of shock. Tears filled my wide, dark gray eyes. How close was I to possible death? Just then, the part of me that was still stable then remembered. My parents..._

* * *

My name is Bolt the Element-hog _(Yes, I know it's a strange name, but I've heard stranger)_. I'm currently 14 years old, and living in Hill-Top Zone as a part-time G.U.N agent, and full-time Chaotix Detective. It wasn't always like this. I used to live in Leaf Forest with my parents. My mom was called Nature the Earthbound-hog, and my dad was Time the Millennium-hog _(Whoever named them must have a weird sense of humor)_.

I'm also what one would call a "tomboy", and for good reason. When I was born, Mobius had declared war against someone _(I don't know who it is)_. My parents were worried that an "innocent little girl" such as myself would be easily killed. So I was prepped for battle. For 5 years, I received the training only a G.U.N agent would get - and more. My special abilities really came in handy for survival.

As my name suggests, I can control and create the natural elements at will. Fire, water, air, earth, and my favorite, electricity. Perfect for war and pranks _(Hey, I'm still a kid)_.

Anyway, enough about me. Let's get to my past.

* * *

A tragedy struck on that cool summer night. My mom and dad had sent me out to get food for the week. They should have came with me, especially since I gave the groceries to a beggar _(What? He was starving!)_ and I had no spare rings* on me. I was only half-way home when suddenly-

_**BOOOOOOOOM! **_

A smoke-filled mushroom cloud rose from the center of Leaf Forest, right where my home was. The next thing I knew, I was rushing toward the area to find my family.

No such luck.

The house was completely destroyed; you couldn't even tell it **was** a house. Flames flickered from the remains of the wood, and the smell of smoke filled the air.

"_Momma! Daddy!"_

I called out to my parents, with no reply. No doubt in my mind; they were gone forever.

I fell to the ground in a state of horror. My only family, wiped of the face of Mobius, never to return. I felt weak for the first time; I couldn't even put out the fire.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a lone figure. Their face was hidden by a hooded cloak to conceal their identity. Perhaps they know about the explosion and the two deaths. The person left, and I followed.

It was difficult to keep up, as the figure kept ducking into narrow alleyways and making sharp turns. I then completely lost them at Station Square, one of the busiest sites on Mobius. Even with the unusual lack of citizens, I still couldn't find the person.

I noticed a crowd of pedestrians standing in front of a shop, the kind with televisions in the windows. Right now, the news was on, showing a female reporter. What was her name? ...Scarlet, that's it! She was talking about a recent accident.

"_Breaking news! A massive explosion was spotted at 7:09 p.m. today. Witnesses claim the catastrophe happened in the center of Leaf Forest, home of a young hedgehog couple and their child. Police say the couple didn't survive, and the child is missing in action. The Government Unit of the Nations, or G.U.N, is currently investigating the situation of who or what delivered the explosion, along with the whereabouts of the child. More details at 11." _

Great... the authorities are after me. No doubt I'll be taken to an orphanage; one that's happy-go-lucky on the outside, but cruel and abusive in reality. No way am I going to a place like that! This is my one and only chance at finding who murdered my family, and put my skills to the ultimate test.

"_Well... what do I got to lose?"_

Thankfully, I'm always prepared for situations where I have to be alone. In my coat pockets was a combat knife in it's scabbard, small smoke bombs disguised as glass marbles, and a picture of me and my parents shortly after my birth. I had all that, some spare change I found on the sidewalk, and the clothes on my back: a white sweatshirt, a pair of child-sized sneakers, and a black trench coat 3 sizes too big.

I didn't know it yet, but I'd be living on the run for 2 years. And in that time I would have met and made friends with a criminal, find a stone of incredible might, and be taken in by one very strange Mobian.

Look out, world! This girl's got a new life!

* * *

_**My first actually Sonic story! No flames please; tis baaaaaaad! Anyway, this is set in an Archie/Sega/4Kids crossover universe. Some events might not be accurate, so cut me some slack. Story's OC-based, if you can't tell already. And don't criticize me about the ages of upcoming characters! I based their age off their personality. And I think that's it. Until next time**_


	2. Going Soft?

**Chapter 2: Going Soft?**

**Disclaimer: Again, I don't own the official Sonic characters; just my OCs.**

* * *

_A crash landing; nothing more, nothing less. Was it done by a rogue airplane? Maybe a UFO? Wait... I see someone lying under the rubble. He's definitely alive, but seriously wounded. Can I trust the guy? Only one way to find out..._

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

A year had past since that horrid night. Surprisingly, G.U.N was still aware about my disappearance. Usually, they stay on a case for a month at the very least. So why were they after me for much longer?

In that time-span, my life had took a turn for the worse. Each night, I would be on the run, looking for spare change to buy food. Sometimes a street gang would pull me into a fist-fight, making death threats if I 'chicken out'. Often times I'd walk away victorious; my plan of attack was electrocuting the thugs, then make like the wind. Lately, I've been leaving with several bruises and cuts, but still the victor.

Often times, I would wonder if I'll ever meet someone like my parents. Someone who cares for others, who would risk their life for their loved ones, and was the greatest friend anyone could ever have.

What I didn't know was that I'd be finding someone like that a _whole_ lot sooner than expected.

* * *

I had recently turned 6 years old. And my birthday gift was a black eye from that thug on the highway. All I said was spray-painting graffiti is wrong! What's _his_ problem?

After that, I was heading back to the alleyway where I lived at the time. I was making plans to leave, and find a new 'home' downtown. It was night-time, and billions of stars were out. I even found a shooting star, and quickly made my wish: to find someone who I can call 'family'.

That's when I found out the shooting star _wasn't_ a star at all. Because it was headed right for the forest!

_**BANG! CRASH! BOOOOOOOM!**_

Even though the crash-landing happened far into the woods, I could still hear it clearly. I wonder what fell from the sky? Maybe it was a meteorite, or space junk. For all I know, it could've been a UFO, containing alien life from another galaxy! _(What? It __**is**__ possible.)_

All these thoughts ran through my head as I sprinted toward the woods, looking for any signs of a crash-landing. After some time, I found a space shuttle of some sort, the front part damaged by a rock wall. And I found a survivor.

It was a human, but unlike any human I've ever seen. For starters, this man's body was quite round, almost egg-shaped. He wore a red coat with gold buttons, black pants with matching boots, and white gloves. A pair of silver goggles rested on his bald head. I couldn't figure out the color of his eyes, because they were hidden by dark glasses. A pointed nose and a thick, auburn mustache completed his look. Oh yeah, and he was tall. _Very_ tall. With several burn marks and bruises from the crash. He looked liked he was in his 40s or 50s.

Perhaps this man _was_ an alien. An egg alien, from a planet where they worship an egg-god and make sacrifices for said god.

...Wait, where did I come up with _that?_

I had just finished pulling out the human, when he began to regain consciousness. The man's voice sounded weird, like he was a gentleman, a mad scientist, and a criminal all rolled into one.

"_Ugh...stupid rodent...he hasn't seen the last of- huh?"_

"_Umm...hello, sir. Are you alright?"_

No doubt he was surprised by my presence. After all, it's not every day one wakes up to find a 6-year-old runaway orphan with a black eye standing on top of your stomach.

I jumped off of him, landing perfectly on my feet. The man still looked at me in shock.

"_...Why are you staring at me, sir?"_

"_I-It's nothing..."_

I didn't buy what he said to me, but I decided to played along.

"_My name is Bolt. What's yours?"_

The man hesitated a bit, but spoke up.

"_...Call me Mr. Ovi Kintobor."_

Hmm...a strange name for a strange being. Alright, I can live with that. Speaking of which...

"_Mr. Ovi? Do you mind if I live with you, just until I find a new home?"_

"_Live with me? Are you sure? What about your parents?"_

"_...T-They're dead, sir...gone f-forever..."_

By now, I was crying. All those past memories and that terrifying nightmarish moment had resurfaced in my mind. It was too much for me. Mr. Ovi seemed to have felt my pain.

"_I see...you're not the only one, child. My father left when I was still a newborn, and my mother died shortly afterwards. You have my sympathies...and my hospitality..."_

"_A-Are you saying..."_

"_Yes, child...you may live with me until the right time comes."_

* * *

_**[Mr. Ovi's P.O.V]**_

What's wrong with me? I lose yet another battle against that blue hedgehog, crash-land in a forest, and wake up to find a different hedgehog standing on my stomach. Not to mention I suddenly take in said hedgehog just because she lost her parents.

Am I, an evil scientific master-mind, going soft in my heart?

I still couldn't trust the young girl, however. Hence why I quickly made an alias by reversing my name. She might have heard about my past doings, and turn me in to the authorities. I can't let that happen.

And yet the fact that the girl wasn't in an orphanage got me thinking. Perhaps she was a runaway, and resided in the alleys of Station Square? It made sense, considering the hedgehog had a black eye, dirty clothes, and smelled like a sewer.

What also confused me was the girl's name. Bolt? Does that mean she's super fast, or something else?

I went with 'something else' when she instantly powered up my space-craft just by touching it. The girl then hopped into the passenger's seat, and smiled at me.

_"Can we get going, sir? I wanna see what your home's like!"_

I smiled back, climbed into the driver's seat, and started up the space-craft. It was running perfectly, despite the fact it was half-crushed. In mere seconds, we were off.

Off to a fresh start in life, with a new friend.

* * *

_**I'm sorry for the late update, but my account's actin' all screwy. Dang technology...**_

_**Anyway, another sappy way to end a chapter. Seriously, am I always that prone to end things in a very sappy way? Ugh, whatever... So yeah; Bolt has found and made friends with Dr. Eggman! **_**(Dun Dun Duuuuuuuuuh!)**_** Too bad she doesn't know about his evil ways. Wonder what's gonna happen when this discovery's made? Then continue reading this story. It helps, people. It really does...**_

_**And yes, Bolt powered up the doctor's machine using her electricity powers.**_


	3. Findings

**Chapter 3: Findings**

**Disclaimer: Everything to their respectful owners.**

* * *

_A new home, with a new friend...It's almost like a dream. The inside of the place's amazing! So much advanced technology...I wonder what's in this room...Who's that in these pictures? They look human, almost like a family. And what's in those glass tubes? He look so small and helpless..._

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

I still can't believe the kind man let me live with him, all because he knows loss like I do! A part of me said to not trust Mr. Ovi, but I have no choice. If I want to survive in this world, - just until I grow up - trusting him's the only option I have.

Not only that, he's the first friend I ever made. I was very anti-social growing up in Leaf Forest, and I'd only talk to my parents. As such, I wouldn't play with any children my age. I once tried, but they were scared of my looks and powers. So much for being friendly...

Aside from that issue, things went well with me and Mr. Ovi. At least that's what I thought.

* * *

To say the man's home was huge would be a sick understatement.

The metal dome had to be three times as big as a castle, with extra room to boot! How did Mr. Ovi afford such a place? Maybe he build it from the ground up, if it's even possible...

The inside was even more impressive. High walls of gleaming steel, a polished metal floor, and enough corridors to make one's head spin! I also noticed several machines carrying heavy crates or making repairs.

Each machine was painted red, with metallic stick-like limbs. Their bodies were round, and their heads were shaped like the top part of a sphere. Glowing eyes and cone-shaped noses finished the look. One walked past me, and I saw a mark on it's back. The mark was a head with glasses, a mustache, and a smile showing a set of teeth. Underneath the mark was a symbol that said "EP-264".

"_Mr. Ovi, what are those red things?"_

"_They're robots, my dear; these kind are called 'Egg Pawns'."_

"_Did you make them? They look so advance."_

"_Yes I did. Their design I created myself, and they're not even my best work. I usually have the Egg Pawns around as assistants."_

"_Assistants for what?"_

Before he could answer, two objects rolled in front of me. A black-and-red ball and a black-and-yellow cube, each the size of a basketball. The objects bounced in the air and split in half, revealing two more robots. I was so surprised by this action, I yelped out loud and hid behind Mr. Ovi.

"_Good heavens, child, please tone down your voice. I really don't want to bust a hearing circuit."_

"_Owww...I reckon my voice chip's busted 'gain."_

The robot with the polite voice was the ball object I'd seen. His lower body was the black half, and his head was the red half. In the middle was a stick-like attachment, with matching arms and red gloves. The other robot - who had a cowboy-like voice - looked just like his red friend, but he was cube-shaped and yellow.

The two robots - at the very same time - gave an army salute and spoke in unison.

"_Orbot and Cubot, reporting for duty, Master!"_

The red one, who I figured was Orbot, first spoke up.

"_Sir, with all due respect, may I ask why such a young Mobian is here with you?"_

"_Yeah! I thought ya'll ha-"_

That was all the yellow guy - who had to be Cubot - managed to say before getting cut off by Mr. Ovi.

_*ahem* "Please, let me get to introductions. Bolt, these are my most trusted assistants, Orbot and Cubot."_

"_Umm...h-hello..."_

I was still a bit wary about the duo, but eventually warmed up to them. Orbot's politeness reminded me of my mother, and Cubot was very funny due to his voice. He was just like my father. Mr. Ovi then excused himself and the others to discuss 'adult issues' and told me to explore as much as I want.

No need to tell me twice, sir. I wanna see everything!

* * *

_**[Mr. Ovi's P.O.V]**_

"_Sir, who WAS that child? You hate hedgehogs, so why take one in?"_

"_The kid rescued me from my most recent defeat. I couldn't just walk away without a proper 'thank you', now could I? Besides, she as-"_

"_Wait, SHE! ? That there kid's a girl! ?"_

"_Of course, you nitwit! Couldn't you hear her voice, or did you bust up your hearing circuit as well? Anyway, she asked if she could live with me until a proper home is found. I asked if she had a family, and apparently that hit a sensitive spot. Sh-"_

"_Ya hit her, boss? I know ya'll a evil masta-mind, but ya can't be THAT cruel. That there kid's gotta be six!"_

"_It's a figure of speech, wise guy! Anyway, she teared up, and I eventually agreed to let her stay. Now then, round up the other robots. Tell them to go to the warehouse."_

"_Right away, sir!"_

I watched as Orbot spoke into the intercom, telling all robots to report to the warehouse. Leaving the area, I began to think about the young hedgehog, Bolt. The child was so innocent. I could easily make her my top minion! And yet...

I myself had witnessed her power up my Egg Pod, and it worked better than ever, despite the fact it was half crushed. No doubt she had control over electricity. That kind of power would destroy my army if she sided with the Freedom Fighters. One snap of a finger and BOOM! Minions defeated.

Can't let that happen. Hmm...perhaps I should send a minion to keep an eye on her. And I know the perfect one! But first, to the warehouse.

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

I had never felt so free in months!

Running down the endless halls at top speed, searching several rooms, finding tons of robotic designs; for the first time in a year, I laughed, my spirit filled with joy and curiosity.

And it was this curiosity that led me into a large chamber. A circular platform stood in the center, with four bridges leading towards it. On the platform was a futuristic computer and several key boards. The screens glowed a cyan color, and showed numerous places.

One screen showed a blue hedgehog, about 11 years old, running through an open field. And dang, he was fast! The next had a pink hedgehog about my age, furiously swinging a red-and-yellow rubber hammer. I wonder what made her so angry. A third screen featured a red echidna, maybe 12 years old, sitting in front of a REALLY big gem. Where did he find a jewel that size! ?

I then saw a small figure staring at the last screen. The person was a darkish-blue color, with two spikes(?) sticking on his head. He had large golden eyes, red boots, matching gloves, a child-sized jet pack, a brown satchel, and a belt with an M-shaped buckle. Was this guy also a robot?

Standing next to the darkish-blue guy were two more figures, definitely robots. The taller one was gold-colored, and his shorter friend was painted lilac. All three of them were observing the fourth screen.

It showed a young rabbit woman wearing an old-fashioned dress. She was cradling her baby girl, a cream-colored rabbit with bright brown eyes. Hmm...a young mother and her child...But where's the father?

I decided to not question that, and started to sneak my way closer. Too bad my plans were foiled when an announcement boomed over the speakers. It sounded like Orbot was speaking.

"_Attention! Please report to the warehouse immediately, under orders of the boss! Repeat, all robots please report to the warehouse immediately! The situation is crucial!__"_

"_Did ya hear THAT, guys? He said 'all robots', which means us!"_

The darkish-blue person began to cheer as he followed the others out of the room.

"_Calm down, Bokkun. He also said it is crucial. That means something BIG."_

"_Decoe's right. I wonder what the boss wants to say. What do you think, Bokkun?"_

"_I don't know, Bocoe. I just hope we're not in trouble 'cause nobody wants to go to the scrap heap!"_

I managed to stay hidden as the trio left the area. After making sure they were gone, I sprinted toward the other direction. That Bokkun guy said "all robots", and I'm no robot! So the issue doesn't involve me. Mr. Ovi's probably gonna talk about business and other stuff that'll make me doze off. No thank you!

* * *

_**[Mr. Ovi's P.O.V]**_

Good, all the minions are here. The E-Series, Metal Sonic, I even saw Bokkun, Decoe, and Bocoe! And of course, I have Orbot and Cubot standing next to me. Everyone's arrived, and no sign of Bolt. Hopefully she's safe and out of harm's way. Now then...

I stepped up to the microphone, tapped it to make sure it's working, and began to speak. Everyone became silent.

"_Minions, attention! We have some new rules to discuss!"_

Cubot pulled a switch, and a movie screen appeared. A live image showed up, featuring Bolt, who was currently sprinting down the corridors.

"_This is Bolt, a young Mobian hedgehog. She had rescued me from my most recent defeat, and is going to live with us from now on, as a token of gratitude. Which brings us to the new rules:_

_1) You will refer to her as 'Miss Bolt', unless she says otherwise._

_2) Under no circumstances are you allowed to purposely attack/injure her._

_3) I had given myself an alias, calling myself 'Mr. Ovi Kintobor'. You will refer to me as such from now on._

_4) No revealing any of my plans for world domination!_

_Should these guidelines be broken - ESPECIALLY rule #2 - you will be eliminated and never rebuilt!"_

The robots glanced worryingly at each other. They got the message. I dismissed the minions, except one.

"_Bokkun, come here. I have an assignment for you."_

"_Really? What is it! ?"_

"_Locate the girl, and keep an eye on her - from a distance. If she's at risk or on the verge of discovering my plans, stop her at all costs. Understand?"_

"_Aye-Aye, sir!"_

As he flew off, I prayed that Bolt was alright. She's a good kid, yet I'm still worried about her. Hopefully she's staying out of trouble.

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

"_Oh man; if I'm caught, I'm totally in trouble..."_

I had just entered Mr. Ovi's office and workplace, where he creates designs for new robots. There wasn't much to see; sheets of blueprint paper, handwritten notes and reminders, and a mug of coffee long since cold. I also found a worn notebook titled, "Daily Journal". The man keeps a diary? Well, whatever. Probably not that interesting anyway.

Tossing aside the notebook, I saw two things I somehow overlooked. They were framed pictures, one in color and the other black-and-white. Both were covered in dust and the glass had small cracks. The photos were obviously here for a long time.

The colorless photo showed two people. The one sitting down bared a major resemblance to Mr. Ovi. Bald head, dark glasses, pointed nose. But this man had a lab coat and a sweater on. Is he a relative, maybe Mr. Ovi's father?

The one standing was a human girl about fourteen years old. She was very pretty; the kind who would have a lot of admirers. If I had to guess, she had long, blonde hair and deep, blue eyes. There's no way she can be related to Mr. Ovi; they don't look a thing alike!

I looked over at the second picture, this one showed three people. The tallest one was Mr. Ovi for sure. Standing in front of him was a very short man with little hair and a crooked nose. His clothes were just like Mr. Ovi's, but the coat was green and lacked buttons.

The last person was younger, maybe 5 or 6. She looked a lot like the girl in the first photo; blonde hair, bright eyes, a kind smile. She wore an orange shirt and black overalls.

Maybe all these people **are** related. The two girls share many traits, and the men as well. I better as-

"_What are you doing here?"_

Oh snap...

I turned around and sure enough, there stood Mr. Ovi. Behind him was that Bokkun person I saw earlier.

"_W-Well, I...um, what I-I mean is...I k-kinda took a wrong t-turn?"_

Yeah, **great** cover-up. Dang, I'm an idiot...

"_...Bokkun, if you'll excuse us."_

"_R-Right away, sir!"_

As soon as he was gone, I began to tear up again and pleaded.

"_PLEASE DON'T KICK ME OUT! I'M REALLY SORRY AND IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!"_

I know I sounded really pathetic, and I know I looked really pathetic. But trust me, you'd be that way if you were me at the time.

"_I'm not mad, dear. A bit annoyed, yes. But not mad. It was my own fault to let you explore the entire place and not give a second thought about it...Actually, I want to show you something."_

He led me down a corridor I hadn't visited yet, and into a sealed chamber. He typed in a code, and the doors slid open. Inside were several pods filled with a colored liquid. Many of them were empty, but some contained strange creatures. Strange to the point where they still give me nightmares to this day!

Mr. Ovi stopped at the last pod, one with a clear liquid, like water. Inside was a young Chao, with red-and-white stripes. His head was blue, and a white star mark covered his right eye. The tip of his head and the star-shaped orb above it was white, while his hands and feet were blue. Mr. Ovi looked ashamed.

"_When I was still young, I had tried to create a new species of Chao, called the Flag-Chao. The experiment failed many times. but I succeeded once. And the result was this little guy. I didn't want to try again, so I sealed him away and destroyed anything related to the project."_

"_Did you give this one a name?"_

"_Hmm...I actually haven't. Why not give him one now?"_

"_I'm gonna call him 'Stars the Spangled Chao'!"_

"_Ah, a fitting name for one like him. Tell you what, when the time's right, I'll release Stars and let him be your new friend."_

"_REALLY! ? Oh thank you so much!"_

* * *

_**HOLY CRAP 2 CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY!**_

_**Sorry if the last half of this got crappy, but I was running out of creativity. And DANG, this chapter's long! Over 3000 words and countin'! So yeah...**_

_**Anyway, we have the appearance of Eggman's robots. Speaking of which, I apologize if the descriptions aren't accurate, since I had no references with me and had to work by memory. BTW, the marks on the Egg Pawns (ya know, like 'EP-264') I made up myself. Unless Sega beat me to the punch...and the people on the computer screens...can YOU guess who they are? (even though it's totally obvious)**_

_**NOTE 1: Remember that air craft Eggman used in "Sonic X"? That's the Egg Pod he's talking about. Hey, I had to call it somethin'...**_

_**NOTE 2: Stars the Spangled Chao was an on-the-spot OC I made up while typing this. His design comes from the United States flag, and his name came from the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".**_


	4. On the Road Again

**Chapter 4: On the Road Again**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing but my OCs.**

* * *

_My life's been amazing! Living here with this kind man has been the best thing in months. Wait...what was that thing that just rushed by? All the robots are on high alert...what's going on? Oh no...I smell smoke...it's happening again! I won't go down like this!...where's Mr. Ovi? Is he..._

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

6 months had passed since I began to live with my new friend. Seems things are looking up for me at last! All of the robots are very kind, and Mr. Ovi's almost like a father to me. He knows how to listen to one's problems. Yet he won't talk about his own life for some reason. I once asked, and he said,

"_There's not much to tell, and I'll end up making you bored."_

I didn't believe him, but I decided to not raise the question. It might get him very upset.

Anyway...just because I have a new home doesn't mean I no longer pull my own weight. I still train every day, and would help out the robots. It's very convenient when you're practically a machine recharger.

And then everything fell apart one day, again.

* * *

The winter holidays were approaching, and it shows. Every time I went out to run errands, the city was getting more festive by the minute. Red and green lights illuminated the streets, stores were playing music on their radios, all the citizens had smiles on their faces, and of course, there was plenty of snow! And it wasn't just in the city, but everywhere else as well. Even back home.

Several robots have been hard at work decorating the metal dome. Strings of lights and tinsel hung from up top, wreaths were placed on all the doors, and nearly every room had a decorated pine tree.

Oh yeah, and some prankster spray-painted all the logos _(the one with the mustache and toothy smile)_ so they look like Santa Claus. They also hung mistletoe over a few of the doorways, which everyone's now avoiding.

At the time, I was putting the finishing touches on my gifts. For Bokkun, Decoe, Bocoe, Orbot, and Cubot, I bought the best oil I could get my hands on _(my weekly allowance was pretty small)_. There was also a new voice chip for the latter, as his voice was still broken.

I still couldn't think of anything for Mr. Ovi. The man has everything he needs, for crying out loud! So what on Mobius **can** I get him?

_**WHOOSH!**_

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard a noise outside my room. Stepping away from the desk, I stuck my head out the entryway for signs of anyone. No luck. Whoever passed by here was long gone.

Yet strangely enough, I caught the faint scent of chili and hot-dogs. Weird...I don't recall anybody eating that type of food. All the robots live on a diet of fresh oil and electricity. Mr. Ovi doesn't seem like the person to eat the sort of things. And it definitely wasn't me, unless I recently started sleep-eating.

Hmm...

_**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

"_Code Red! Code Red! Intruder in Sector 9! All personal engage! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!__"_

Hundreds of robots suddenly stopped their work. They then pulled out a type of gun, and ran toward Sector 9, the training facilities. This never happened to me before, hence why I was freaking out.

"_Gotta find Mr. Ovi...he'll know what's going on!"_

I kept repeating this to myself while sprinting toward the main control room, where one can usually find him.

But not today.

The place was empty of any life. Scattered files and flipped-over chairs were the only signs of recent activity. However, I managed to find one of Bokkun's TV messages still intact. On screen was Mr. Ovi, with Orbot and Cubot in the back-round. The man started to speak.

"_My dearest Bolt...if you happen to find this message, then my last wish is fulfilled. What you are seeing is happening right now in Sector 9. This may be the last time you'll ever see me and the o-"_

An explosion set off in the back-round, cutting off Mr. Ovi. He cleared his throat before continuing on.

"_Sorry about that. Moving on...an evil force is upon us at the moment. And I'm doing all I can to stop it. But my actions may be futile; hence why I need you to do me a favor._

"_Run...run away, far away from here. This force won't stop until they completely destroy my work, and I don't want you to get killed in the process. Remember that I care for you, and will do anything to protect your life. I may not be like your father, but you are like the daughter I'll never have...Farewell, my dear..."_

That was all he said before the screen went black, and I took off for the exit.

The entire time, tears streamed down my face. Hearing Mr. Ovi say he'll never come back, and how I was like a daughter to him...it felt like I lost my family all over again. Why must these things happen to me?

By the time I was a safe distance away from the metal dome...

_**BOOOOOOM!**_

...it was too late for anyone else to escape.

They were gone. All of them. And I was all that's left; a 6-and-a-half-year-old standing in the middle of a snowstorm.

I punched the ground, screaming at the top of my lungs. Why have the gods above cursed me with such a fate? I lose my parents, then make a friend, then end up losing him as well!

Yeah, great Christmas present...

Now I'm back to living in the alleyways, fending for myself, and with no one who cares for me.

Or so I thought.

* * *

_**[?'s P.O.V]**_

Another day, another victorious battle against old Egg-head.

Seriously though; with everyone being all "holly jolly" this time of the year, even him, it makes surprise attacks way too easy. Call it my Christmas gift to him.

And yet for some reason, the doc wasn't gloating like usual. He'd always say, _"Ho ho ho ho! You're too late, hedgehog! Soon, Mobius will be under my control. And nothing will stop me!" _or something like that.

Today, however, he didn't have that "holier-than-thou" attitude of his. In fact, I'd even say he was worried about something or someone. I knew 'cause his lackeys were handling today's to-be-trashed-by-me machine rather than himself.

Thankfully, I managed to sneak a peak inside the robot's cockpit while doing a Spin Dash, and I saw the doc. He was talking to a video camera with a built-in microphone. Maybe he's recording his most recent defeat. Or something else.

I came back to New Mobotropolis, and told everything to Sally Acorn, one of my friends and fellow Freedom Fighters. Good thing I'm not the only one confused, as she seemed as baffled as myself.

"_Hmm...Robotnik's gotta be up to something. No doubt he'll pull a new move soon."_

"_Well, yeah. Eggman's always making a come-back. But I've gotta feeling he's gonna lay low for a while...probably come back once the new year rolls 'round. Until then, we're just gonna kick back and enjoy the holidays!"_

"_...Yeah, you're right. But we'll still keep an eye out for him. And promise you'll be careful, ok?"_

"_Come on, ya know I always keep a promise. After all, I __**am**__ Sonic the Hedgehog!"_

* * *

_**Oh good grief, I haven't updated in so loooooooooong! Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, for all Americans and even the non-Americans, Happy late Fourth of July! Did anything catch on fire 'cause of the fireworks? No? Dang it all...**_

_**So yeah, we have the appearance of everyone's fave blue hedgehog! Also, Bolt thinks Eggman's/Mr. Ovi's dead. But come on, we all know that ain't true! Eh, what else...I promise updates will be more frequent. Heck, I even have the next chapter in mind! So be patient, 'k?**_


	5. Punches, Prizes, and Problems

**Chapter 5: Punches, Prizes, and Problems**

**I apologize for the lack of updates on this story, but my daily life's been very busy. And you can thank my brother's baseball tournaments for that! But moving that aside, on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own the official Sonic characters; they belong to Sega and Archie **_**(that's how it's spelled, right?)**_**.**

* * *

_To think everyone's here at a carnival! Is it that much fun?... Hey, there's a game happening, but how come all the participants are losing? Maybe I'll try it out... Why's he looking so shocked? All I did was win the game he set up. I even got the grand prize! Such a beautiful gemstone... Wait, is that a gun aimed at me! ?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

Time had passed after my most recent catastrophe. Hard to believe it's been two whole years since it all started. In that time span, the war had ended in a truce, Mobius was at peace again, and everyone was happy. Except me.

My mother, my father, the robots, Mr. Ovi... I keep thinking about them every day, and how they were like a family to me. To think they're all gone from this world, and how I can't see them again 'till my time comes. Until then, I'm cursed to wander the earth, alone and forgotten.

However, I wasn't gonna be like that for a lot longer.

* * *

7 years old, and I'm living in the alleyways of Central City. What a life, eh? It was surprisingly chilly that day, despite the fact it was a mid-summer morning. A strong breeze came by, and I wrapped my black cloak around me for extra warmth.

The hooded cloak was a gift I had received from Mr. Ovi a while back. However, it was made for a human, so it - just like my trench coat - was 3 sizes too big, but I didn't mind. 2 pockets were sewed on the inside of the cloak, which Mr. Ovi said were magical. The wearer can store an infinite amount of items inside, then bring them back out again. I once joked about how the pockets were really black-holes in disguise.

Anyway, I didn't have much with me at the time; my combat knife with it's scabbard, the family photo, and 2 rings, which wasn't even enough to buy me a loaf of bread. I had used my disguised smoke bombs for practice, and Mr. Ovi wanted to research them for some reason. As such, they were all destroyed in the explosion.

The same explosion that took the lives of my friends; the ones who cared and took me in when no one else did. It was too painful to remember the memories we all shared; perhaps a walk will soothe my sorrows.

I walked away from the alley, away from downtown Central City, and continued on to the park. In fact, I didn't realize I was even _in_ the park until I bumped into a tree. But that didn't surprise me; what _did_ was the sign on the tree:

* * *

_Come one come all, to the 14th annual_

_Central City Carnival!_

_Games, rides, food, and events for all ages!_

_Admission: 1 ring_

_July 10 - July 17 _

_11 a.m. - 11 p.m._

_Located in the local park_

_Don't miss out on all the fun!_

* * *

A carnival? Hmm...now that I think about it, there _has_ been a lack of citizens today. For sure they're all at this event, and having the time of their lives. Perhaps I should take a look for myself; I've got nothing to do, and entrance costs only 1 ring.

The place wasn't too hard to find, what with all the music, sounds, lights, and laughter. The carnival was in full swing, and it was only high noon! I handed my ring to the entrance booth, and lied about how my parents were already waiting for me there _(a pretty poor excuse, but they bought it)_.

What a place! Everything looked so incredible, I just couldn't take it all in at once. Several booths were set up for games, food, and shopping. A twisting roller-coaster surrounded the area, making the riders' screams come from all over the place. The laughter of other kids came from a fancy-looking merry-go-round.

Though all of it looked so amazing and colorful, there was one thing in the park that I really like. And that's the park's fountain.

The stone fountain sat in the very center of the park. Attached to the base was a small golden sign, saying _"Dedicated to Princess Tikal of the Echidna Clan, who sacrificed herself to save the world from Chaos, God of Destruction."_

The middle part of the fountain had a bunch of Chao circling around the center. Some had their spouts of water come from their smiling mouths. Other spouts were "cried" out from a few sad Chao. One even had a shocked look, and his stream ran crooked from his wide-open mouth.

The top part showed a female echidna looking to the sky. She wore a tribal robe, sandals, and an intricate headband. Her hands were clasped together, like she was praying. She was also standing on a large gemstone, one that was bigger than her!

Every time I saw that fountain, I keep wondering why this Chaos guy wanted to destroy Mobius, why this Tikal sacrificed herself, and what the Chao and the big jewel has to do with it all.

_**POW BASH BANG! DING DING!**_ _"And we 'ave a winner, mates!"_

A voice rang through the air, snapping me out of my thoughts. It came from the edge of the park, right next to the trees. A crowd of Mobians and humans were gathered around a boxing ring; some were booing, others cheering. I fought my way through the crowd, and stopped at the base of the ring.

Two men were inside, throwing various kicks and punches. The first was a male human wearing a T-shirt and ripped jeans. He looked tired and worn out, and was soaked in sweat and blood.

The second person was also a male, but he was a Mobian polar bear. He had pale yellow fur, wore red-and-brown boots, brown gloves, a red cap, and a green scarf. It was strange to see him wear such clothing because it was the middle of summer, yet he wasn't breaking a sweat at all.

Behind the boxing ring was a tall chair, the kind volleyball referees would be in. Sitting in the chair was a violet weasel. He wore brown boots with metal plates on the sides, matching gloves, a leather belt with a pistol attached to it, and a brown-and-black hat. He also had a large sharp tooth sticking out of his mouth, and had a Downunda-like accent.

What really caught my eye was the object he was admiring. It was a silver-colored gem, about the size of a baseball, maybe bigger. It must be the prize for winning against that polar bear. No wonder so many people are opposing him!

Standing next to the chair was a green duck about my height. He had a red bandanna, white gloves, red shoes with a white stripe and a gold buckle, and a crazed look in his blue eyes. The guy seemed like the type of person who'd get a kick out of explosions and gun fights!

The weasel person called out to the audience. _"And da winner is once again... Bark da Polar Bear!"_

A majority of the crowd began to shout curses at the weasel, saying that fight wasn't fair and such things. He paid no attention, as he was counting all of the bets. As for the duck...

"_Of course that fight wasn't fair! Now stop yelling, or I make you all go 'bang'!"_

He pulled a lit bomb out of who-knows-where, and threatened to throw it at the crowd. I knew that guy had a thing for violence!

But still, holding unfair battles and getting money out of it... Do the people running the carnival know about this? Besides, this sort of thing's illegal, right? Perhaps I should speak with that weasel guy...

I snuck my way closer to the chair, barely dodging the adults' stomping feet. It really sucks when you're 3-and-a-half feet tall. I somehow made it, but my plan ran into an obstacle; a short, green obstacle.

"_Sorry, but no one's allowed to speak with the boss. Wait 'till later."_

That green duck was really getting on my nerves, but I managed to play it cool. Even if he did get out those bombs of his, I can easily evade them.

"_You sure nobody can talk with him?"_

"_Positively!"_

"_Not even a poor little child like me?"_

"_...Well..."_

Yep, I pulled the big-pleading-eyes trick; kinda weird 'cause I never done it before. Who'd have thought I had it in me? It seemed to work - at first. Then this happened:

"_Oy, Bean! Whatcha doin', eh?"_

It was the weasel guy I wanted to see. It seems he overheard the conversation, and came to take a look. The duck, whose name was apparently Bean, had a panicked look.

"_It's this hedgehog, boss. He...She...Whatever...wants to see you for something!"_

"_Uh... I'm actually a girl..."_

"_Well now... A little kid pokin' 'round in-ta other's business, 'eh? Dat comes at a heavy price, mate. And it be a fight 'gainst my team's powerhouse, Bark da Polar Bear! Now git goin'; ya burnin' daylight!"_

* * *

And the next thing I know, I'm in the boxing ring, dazed and confused. The bear, who had to be Bark, kept looking at me like I was an alien or a lab experiment, making me feel really awkward. The roaring crowd placing their bets on my "opponent" didn't help at all.

Thankfully, I got a good look at Bark. He was much bigger than me, about 3 times my size. His gleaming red eyes gave a "I'm-not-backing-down-or-going-easy-just-because-you're-a-little-girl" look. I've seen that used before on my father and the E-100 Series, who I trained with. I really miss Gamma...

"_Oy, kid! Did ya hear me?"_

The weasel's voice brought me back to reality. He was yelling something to me and Bark.

"_Hey Nack, ya think she's dead?"_

"'_Course not, Bean. The gal's A-OK."_

I wonder why Bean thought I was dead. Maybe the guy's not that bright...

That's when I noticed Bark had taken off his scarf, and tied it around the ropes. He gestured me to do the same thing. Take off all loose clothing? I decided not to argue with him for his sake - and my health.

With my cloak and trench coat off and tied to the ropes, all I had on was a pair of dirty sneakers and a white sweatshirt that reached to my knees. Nack, the weasel guy, explained the rules; no weapons, no choking, no killing, no bashing metal chairs on the opponent's head _(a common sight in wrestling)_, and supernatural powers are allowed.

I hid a smirk. Using my elemental powers will make things too easy!

Boy, was I wrong.

When the bell rang out, Bark rushed toward me at a frightening speed. How can one so big move so fast! ? He slammed his fist into the ground, and I barely dodged the attack. The entire time, I was scolding myself for being an idiot. I totally forgot Rule #1 of Battle: Never, and I mean **never**, underestimate your opponents!

I tried to pull a roundhouse, but he easily blocked the attack by grabbing my foot. Bark twisted his arm, and I slammed into the ground. Hard. My back felt like it was broken beyond repair, and my vision had blurred. But I faintly saw my opponent charge up another punch. Instincts took over, and I rolled out of harm's way, got to my feet, and sprinted toward the other way.

A process began for me during the one-sided fight: dodge, run, repeat. This went on for 5 whole minutes! A shame it was starting to irritate Nack, Bean, and the crowd. Well, their loss.

I leapt over Bark's head, and landed right behind him. My fist made hard contact with his back, surprising the polar bear. It wasn't the fact that he felt my punch. It was the part where he got shocked with a thousand volts of pure electricity! The crowd watched in amazement, some even "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" at the light show.

The bear fell face-first to the ground, unconscious and defeated. Grabbing my cloak and trench coat, I jumped out of the ring with a smirk on my face. Nack shouldn't have allowed that supernatural-powers rule in the first place. But I sure wasn't complaining, as long as I left with all my bones intact.

As for Nack and Bean, both just stared at me when I strolled up to them.

"_So... Is there a reward for winning against your so-called 'power-house'? No? Well then, I guess I'll just take this gem as a constellation prize, 'mate'."_

I snatched the jewel away from Nack, and made my way toward the fountain once more. I eyed the gem in my hands. It looked incredible... and not just because it was my favorite color. Strange... It felt like it held a great energy, the type only certain people could feel... Maybe I'm just imagining things.

_**BANG! SPLASH!**_

But I definitely wasn't hearing things!

The splashing noise was the fountain, whose top part had broken off and crushed the base, letting the water run freely. People had gone into a panicked state; not because of the fountain, but where the first noise came from.

Turning around, I saw a recovered Bark who clearly wanted revenge. Bean was also there, holding lit bombs in each hand. And at the front was Nack, his pistol aimed right at me.

"_Listen kid, ain't nobody makes Team Hooligan look like fools and steals our loot! And dat goes 'specially for kids like you! Now ya pay an even heavier price; DEATH!"_

He fired again, and I swiftly dodged, making the bullet hit a game booth. I can't stay here with so many innocents around! Nack and his crew want **me**, not the citizens of Central City. Which leaves the only safe option now: retreat!

A blast of strong wind rocketed out of my shoes, creating temporary hover-skates. And "temporary" is all the time I need. Moving faster than ever, I skated out of the park and through downtown. The whole time I could hear Nack from afar, cursing my name and shooting at everything in sight. **Some**body needs anger management.

And to think, this was only the beginning of a very crazy day.

* * *

_**EDIT: Added in more action, or tried to at least...**_

_**Another long chapter for everyone, though I'm not exactly pleased with this one. It's lacking something, but I don't know what it is. Anyway, Bolt has a run-in with Nack the Weasel, Bean the Dynamite, and Bark the Polar Bear, AKA Team Hooligan! She also gets away with a familiar silver jewel...**_

_**Note 1: I always pictured Nack having an Australian accent; don't know why exactly...**_

_**Note 2: For those who don't know, Downunda is like the Australia of Mobius.**_

_**Note 3: The "magic cloak" idea came from **_**RonnyBravo****'s**_** "The Mage of Thunder". Check it out; it's total awesome sauce!**_


	6. Mysterious Faces

**Chapter 6: Mysterious Faces**

**Disclaimer: Well if you owned the Sonic crew, you wouldn't be on this website in the first place, now would ya! ?**

* * *

_I think I lost those guys for good... Wait, I hear voices. Someone's seen me!... This guy's too strong! I can't win this fight!... No one's around to hear us. No one's here to save my life... Where am I? And who's the guy standing next to me! ?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

Some fun festivity! I get in a fist-fight with a polar bear, get a rag-tag trio on my bad side, and get shot at by their leader, all for a jewel that's probably just cut glass!

And in the end, I leave with a sore leg, a few cuts and bruises, and very little energy left. Not to mention city property's been damaged by that weasel's warning shot. He just **had **to destroy the park's fountain!

I just hope they left the carnival in search for me; several innocent people could've been injured, and they had nothing to do with the situation whatsoever! If anyone deserves to be shot at, it's me.

Or is it?

* * *

Upon escaping the carnival, I didn't slow down or stop for anything. I'd occasionally skate past by a citizen, and yell back a "sorry" over my shoulder. Honestly, I had no destination in mind at all. My brain just yelled out, _"Get as far away from the park as you can! Don't stop for anything!"_.

And that's exactly what I did. I just skated and skated with me panicking on the inside.

"_What the heck did I just __**do**__! ? I stole some guy's gemstone! He held a gun to my head! Was anyone else hurt? Oh my gosh, what's __**wrong**__ with me! ?"_

This continued on for some time, and then I ran out of power at the edge of Westopolis. Did I seriously travel that far? I couldn't dwell on the situation for now; the police are probably after me at this very moment! I wouldn't be surprised if someone called the cops - and maybe even G.U.N - after the park incident.

I quickly ducked into a nearby alleyway, and tried to camouflage myself as much as possible. It's really helpful when you're literally black and white _(I'm not being racist, by the way)_. After I was sure no one could see me, I pulled out the jewel I took from the group.

The stone was cut like the diamonds you would see on a ring. It was a shiny white-gray color that reminded me of platinum. Such beauty... I could even feel an energy of sorts coming from within the jewel. That, or I'm imagining things again.

_***tap tap tap***_

Footsteps? Oh crud, I've been spotted!

Instantly acting, I slammed my hands onto the ground. An electrical current ran through my body and made contact with the pavement. Everything touching the ground was electrocuted in split seconds.

After 5 or so seconds, I stopped the energy flow and looked forward. At the alley's entrance laid three Mobians, all unconscious from the literal shock.

The first was a really big gorilla, wearing a green army helmet and combat boots. There was also a blue hawk with red gloves and boots. The last was a frog with goggles, tan gloves, and matching boots.

Strange... I overheard **four** people walking, not three. Unless I'm going deaf, there should be two pairs of Mobians in front of me. So where was the last guy?

_**POW! CRASH! THUD!**_

Apparently, my answer came in the form of a somewhat stealthy attack. I slowly lifted my head, and saw the attacker. He was a brown-and-black lynx with cobalt blue eyes. He wore blue gloves and matching boots, each with a yellow lightning symbol on the sides. The lynx's hard glare and clutched fists showed pure rage.

"_Those were my comrades, you brat! And look what you've done to them!"_

"_Hey, it's not like I killed them or anything. Those guys are just knocked out, 'k?"_

This was true enough; I always electrocute my opponents with exactly 1000 volts of energy, maybe 2000 if they're extra tough. After all, I'm no killer.

"_You're still gonna pay for what you did, twerp! Face the fury of Lightning Lynx!"_

He charged forward at a blinding speed, punching me in the stomach. I doubled over, clutching my body. The attack had left a really nasty bruise, one that might bleed if hit again. But I hid my pain with a smirk.

"_So, ya like making grand entrances, huh? Alright then; I am called Bolt, controller of nature itself! The ones who oppose me shall feel the earth's wrath!"_

I punched the ground and caused the pavement to split open in half, much like an earthquake. The lynx, who said he was called Lightning, jumped aside before he could fall in. But the spot he landed on became a cyclone of water, engulfing him in the waves.

Because I was merciful and never one to kill, I ended the cyclone before Lightning lost all his oxygen. By then he was gasping for air, chocking up any water that entered his lungs. Perhaps the attack was too extreme for him.

But that didn't mean he was down and out just yet!

I came closer to the lynx, seeing if he was ok. Big mistake. What I didn't know was that he had charged up a punch when catching his breath.

And his fist made hard contact with my stomach. Again.

My suspicions about the bruise were correct. I could feel warm blood run down my sides, and it was painful to take a single breath. My vision swarmed in and out, making everything looked blurred. I faintly saw Lightning look down on me, his hard gaze filled with madness. For a second, I could've sworn his eyes flickered a bright blood red.

"_This is what happens to those who mess with me and my team. Any last words, you br-"_

_**POW KICK THUD!**_

The lynx was cut off by another presence, one that I couldn't make out. All I could see was a purple-like figure of some sort. That didn't matter; what did was if they were friend or foe.

The last thing I saw before blacking out was a pair of golden yellow eyes.

* * *

_**[?'s P.O.V]**_

I always knew the Fearsome Foursome were ruthless. But attacking little kids? That's got to be going too far. Speaking of such things...

The young hedgehog Lightning fought was brutally injured. Reopened cuts, various bruises, a twisted ankle, and a stomach wound that bleeds more than it should. The latter injury was the only one caused by the lynx; all the other wounds were a bit older.

Either way, the kid needs help. I wrapped the black trench coat he / she was wearing around the large wound, making a temporary bandage.

Carrying the hedgehog in my arms, I quickly made my way back home. I may be fast, but fast enough to get medical help? Only one way to find out.

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

_When I woke up, I was surrounded by blackness. I felt weightless and lightheaded, like I was a ghost or a spirit. Where was I?_ _I then heard a distant sound; crackling, like fire._

_Wait, __**fire! ?**_

_I sprinted toward the area where the sound came from. Surely enough, a house was being burned to the ground._

_And it was __**my**__ house._

_I was reliving that horrid day when I lost my one and only family. Once again, I let the tears flow freely, not even trying to hide the pain._

"Soon, child..."

_The sudden voice startled me, and I quickly turned around. It was the cloaked person I had pursued on that day. His voice was very deep and mysterious. Yet at the same time, it was oddly comforting. Strange._

"Everything will change when you awaken... Be prepared for a new life..."

_Hearing the man's voice, I began to drift off to sleep again. A swirl of images clouded my sight: seven brightly colored gems, a golden ring, a blue bi-plane. The last things I saw were a beast with clockwork gears, a silver-colored being, and a pair of acid green eyes._

* * *

"_Wait, __**stop!**__"_

I woke up in a cold sweat, heaving heavy breaths. That vision... Who was the cloaked guy? And that fire beast and the silver dude? What about the images before that?

My own cloak was folded in front of me. I reached into the pockets, and pulled out the white-gray jewel. Was this one of the gems from my vision? I decided to push that thought aside for now.

I examined my surroundings carefully. The place reminded me of the pictures I've seen of the Dragon Kingdom. The walls were made of a type of paper or fabric, held together by a wooden structure. I was lying in a bed that was really nothing more than a mattress, a green sheet, and one pillow.

There was also a tall mirror placed near the bed, probably so I can see how bad I looked after that fight.

And boy, did I look like a mess!

Layers of bandages were wrapped around my stomach so they could stop the bleeding. More were wrapped around my smaller bruises and cuts. A makeshift cast - consisting of wood and duct tape - was around my right ankle.

This, along with my messed up quills and tired eyes, made me look and feel like a zombie!

"_You're awake."_

In the dead silence, the voice made me jumped in surprise. I whirled around to see a lone figure.

Leaning against the wall was a bright purple Mobian chameleon. He wore studded black-and-white bands around his wrists and ankles. A violet shield covered the back of his gloved hands. A pair of violet-and-black shoes completed the look. I could also see spikes on his back, a curled-up tail, and a yellow horn on his forehead.

But what really grabbed my attention was his eyes: a bright, golden yellow that showed toughness. They were the same eyes I saw before blacking out in the alley!

His voice also got me thinking. He sounded very deep and serious, like he was "all work and no play". It sounded like the voice in my vision! But that can't be right; the guy in my vision had acid green eyes, not golden yellow ones. Hmm...

"_Hey kid. Are you alright?"_

The chameleon's voice brought me back to reality. He was now standing next to the mirror, showing his true height. I was a little over the half-way mark, by the way.

"_...Y-Yeah, I'm ok..."_

"_Good. I thought I nearly lost you when I saved you from that alleyway."_

"_You s-saved my life? T-Thank you...so much... My name's Bolt the Element-hog. What's y-yours?"_

"_...I'm Espio the Chameleon."_

* * *

_**EDIT: Made a couple changes, mainly changing one of the visions.**_

_**Phew, another chapter served for ya'll! I tried to add in more intensity than last time; don't know if I succeeded or not.**_

_**And here we have Bolt encounter Lightning Lynx and the Fearsome Foursome, the soon-to-be Destructix! She gets a vision from a certain someone, and is rescued by Espio of the Chaotix!**_

_**Note 1: Can you figure out what those images were in the vision?**_

_**Note 2: The moves Bolt pulled off in the fight are called "Earth Shatter" and "Hydro Hurricane". You figure out which is which.**_


	7. Possibilities

**Chapter 7: Possibilities**

**Well, I kept my word, now didn't I? Once more I'm really sorry for no chapters but life's been busy and blah blah blah; ya'll know the drill! **

**On a different note: My 8th grade science teacher's husband divorced her recently, and left her heartbroken. So for those who are Christian, please pray for her to get through the pain.**

**Disclaimer: Unless I've gotten word from Sega and Sonic Team that I'm the new owner, I'll forever remain as one of the millions of fan-fiction writers.**

* * *

_I'm still in shock that this person saved me, and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. But why?... He's telling me to pack up my belongings, but for what?... I see an island in the distance - and it's floating in midair! That can't be possible!... He said we're visiting his "team mates" at the center of the island. I wonder what they're like..._

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

With the aftermath of my fight between the lynx, I wasn't going anywhere soon. Espio made sure of that. My injuries took about 10 days to heal _(it was really a week, but my stomach wound expanded the time)_, and in that time I learned a bit more about my rescuer.

Espio is a trained expert in ninjitsu, making him a ninja. He's a native from a place called Rainbow Valley; more specifically, a village of his own species. Being a chameleon and a ninja, he's able to turn invisible / blend in with the surroundings.

Though I was fascinated by all that, what **really** surprised me was Espio's age: he's thirteen years old. I seriously thought he was twenty-something 'cause of his serious attitude and deep voice! It just goes to show you truly can't judge a book by it's cover _(figure-of-speech, by the way)_.

And it was only gonna get more crazy.

* * *

During my week-and-a-half of rest, I told my rescuer about my past. For some odd reason, I didn't tell him about Mr. Ovi and the robots. Not sure why, I just **couldn't**. Everything else, however, was revealed. My parents' deaths, me pursuing the cloaked figure, me living in the alleys, and my battle with Nack and his team, leading up to the assault from Lightning Lynx.

The whole time, Espio carefully listened to my story, nodding his head every now and again. When I finished, he spoke up.

"_I see... So you have nowhere else to go, correct?"_

"_Right."_

"_And you can't live in an orphanage because you won't be able to catch the murderer. By the time you'll be able to, he'll be long gone by then. Hence why you ran away."_

"_Yep."_

The chameleon began to pace across the large room and mutter to himself, obviously in deep thought. I just sat on the bed and swung my legs back and forth, waiting patently for an answer.

I tried to eavesdrop on what Espio was saying, but he was talking in a different language. It sounded like something from the east; Dragon Kingdom territory. But why would he be speaking that if he's from Rainbow Valley? Maybe his family originated from there?

I pushed the thought back into my mind when Espio asked me something. And it was the last thing I'd expect him to ask.

"_Bolt, what would say if I gave you the chance to be my apprentice?"_

* * *

_**[Espio's P.O.V]**_

The look on the hedgehog's face was one of pure shock and surprise. Quite the priceless expression too, I might add. Wide eyes, shrunken pupils, a limp body, and her mouth kept on opening and closing. She looked like she was going to faint any second now.

And that's exactly what she did.

_**THUD!**_

Thank the gods I was able to catch her in time! I can't let her suffer through another injury, even if it's only a bump on the head.

Looking at Bolt now, I wonder if one dreams when they're unconscious.

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

_He wants me to be his student! ? Why of all things would Espio want that? He told he himself that he prefers to be alone!_

_These thoughts raced through my head at a frightening speed. I didn't even notice a presence walk up to me from behind._

"I thought I warned you the last time."

_Upon hearing a voice, I jumped to my feet and prepared to defend myself. I then noticed it was the cloaked guy from my previous vision, the one with acid-green eyes._

"I specifically said to be ready for a new life. Yet at the very first change, you passed out!"

"H-Hey, it was unexpected, a-alright? I-I didn't see it coming!"

*sigh* "Regardless, you have to be prepared for anything. Always expect the unexpected..."

_Once again, a swirl of images clouded my vision; a single tree in full bloom on a small planet, three serpent-like monsters destroyed by a powerful blast, a meteor shower with a falling space craft headed toward the surface. The face of a girl with short, green hair and rosebuds on the sides of her head was the last thing I saw._

* * *

"_...no, stop, COME BACK!"_

I was back in Espio's house, lying on the bed once more. I recalled the cloaked guy saying I blacked out at the chameleon's offer. For some reason, I don't doubt him.

"_You're awake...again."_

Wow. Deja vu, much?

"_Yeah, sorry 'bout fainting like that; I was just taken aback."_

"_Understandable. It's not everyday one receives the chance to learn ninjitsu. So, do you accept?"_

I began to think about Espio's offer. Learning the ways of the ninja? It sounded dangerous and really difficult, two reasons the average person would back down instantly.

Luckily, I'm not the average person.

"_I'm in!"_

"_Good. You shall be my apprentice, and through my training will you learn the ninja arts. I shall be your teacher, or 'sensei'. Understood?"_

"_Yes, 'Sensei'."_

* * *

_6 a.m., the next day..._

_**BROOOOOOOOONG!**_

"_YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"_

"_Rise and shine, kid!"_

The first thing I saw in my still-adjusting sight was my new teacher. He had a type of mallet in his hand, and was standing next to a large gong. What a wake-up call!

I also noticed a black gym bag, a Japanese sword in a scabbard, and a three-ring binder titled "Photo Album". There was also a white gym bag that was smaller and empty, no doubt for me. They were all in the middle of the floor.

"_I'm not exactly a morning person, ya know! What's this all about! ?"_

"_One of my team mates called me last night. He's having some problems that he can't take care of on his own. So we're moving in with him!"_

"_But it's only a few troubles. So why move out?"_

"_Did I mention that said problem is a hyperactive 2-year-old left on his doorstep at midnight?"_

Well, **that** changes everything.

But still, why leave one so young at someone's front door? Shouldn't the parent take the child to a foster home or an orphanage? Either way, I decided not to dwell on it for too long.

I threw in the few belongings I had into the white gym bag. Hopefully I can get a new combat knife - or something better - to replace the one I have now. It was warm outside, so my cloak, trench coat, and sweatshirt also went into the bag. That left me with the white T-shirt Sensei let me borrow and my sneakers.

I was taken to a large grassy field, where our transportation is waiting. I first noticed what we're using to get to out destination: a blue bi-plane, as in the same bi-plane from my vision! Standing nearby was a small group of Mobians.

The first was a hedgehog like me, but he was a cobalt blue with emerald-green eyes. He had to be twelve years old, with white gloves and a pair of red shoes with a white stripe and gold buckles. The grin on his face showed kindness and optimism, mixed with a cocky attitude.

Next to the hedgehog was a 5-year-old fox, with yellow-orange fur, a white muzzle, and light-blue eyes. He wore white gloves with black bands around the wrist, and red shoes tipped with white in the front.

What really caught my eyes was his tail - or in this case, tails. Yep, the fox had two yellow-orange white-tipped tails, each swooshing up and down in a rhythmic beat. I turned my attention away from them to not seem rude.

The third person was a female chipmunk with dark auburn hair _(a rarity among Mobian animals) _and deep-blue eyes. She looked to be about the same age as the blue hedgehog. Her clothes were a blue vest jacket and a matching pair of knee-high boots.

Behind the chipmunk was a female rabbit with bright-yellow fur, a white muzzle, and emerald-green eyes. She wore a brown cowboy hat, a matching jacket, a belt with two pistols attached, and a pink leotard. I'm guessing her age is in the late-teens or early-twenties. She also had a feature that put the fox's two tails to shame.

The rabbit's left arm and lower body - starting from the waist and going below - was all metallic. She was half rabbit, half robot. A "rabbot". Like before, I looked away quickly.

Next to the "rabbot" was a brown coyote with a tuff of blond hair and deep-blue eyes. He seemed quite shaken, like a catastrophe would take place any minute. He wore a blue uniform with yellow shoulder pads, a belt with a sword to it's side, and red boots. The coyote had to be no older than the "rabbot".

The final person was a female lynx with brown fur, long black hair, and green-blue eyes. The beads in her hair and the violet dress made her look graceful. She looked to be about the same age as the hedgehog and the chipmunk.

Sensei introduced me to the others. One by one they greeted me with bright smiles. Each had their own way of saying "hello", reflecting who they are.

"_Hey hey, kid. Name's Sonic; Sonic the Hedgehog! I'm headed with ya to Angel Island."_

"_Hi! I'm Miles Prower, but everyone calls me Tails for obvious reasons... Anyway, I'm taking you and Espio to Angel Island today."_

"_Princess Sally Acorn of the Republic of Acorns. Just call me Sally, though."_

"_Name's Bunnie Rabbot, dearie. Ah heard ya'll headed ta Angel Island, and decided ta wish ya good luck!"_

"'_Bonjour', madam. Antoine D'Coolette, Commander of ze Royal Army."_

"_Nicole, at your service."_

I tried to shake hands with Nicole, but the strangest thing happened: my hand went right through her's. When that happened, her hand turned into neon-green pixels. Nicole's a hologram.

"_Oh! Sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I'm an AI program; an Artificial Intelligence."_

"_So you're a computer?"_

To answer my question, Nicole began to shrink until she was a handheld device. I picked it up, and saw her face on the bright screen. Yep, she's a computer all right.

Sonic jumped onto the plane's wing, like it was normal for him to do so. Tails had on a pair of pilot's goggles, and was starting up the plane. Bunnie handed me a picnic basket as a welcome gift when we arrive to the island. I was headed toward the plane's second seat, until Sonic called out to me.

"_Hey kid! Ya ever been wing-riding?"_

"_What's that?"_

"_Let me show ya!"_

He grabbed my hand, pulling me onto the wing. Sonic explained how beginners should always grab hold of the wing's edge for dear life. Experts like him can easily stand on the wing, without fear of falling off. I wasn't eager to get to the standing part, so I gripped the edge until my knuckles turned more white than the rest of my hands.

"_Uh... Sonic, do you think she should be up there?"_

"_Of course, Tails. Just look at her; she's definitely the type who can handle anything thrown at her!"_

_I sure hope so, _I thought.

The next thing I knew, we were up in the sky. The experience was incredible! A never-ending sea of clouds, bright-blue skies stretching for miles, a flock of Flickies ever now and then.

Turned out wing-riding was pretty easy, and I was standing up in no time. Sonic looked very impressed. The entire flight took only 10 minutes, and we could see the island in the distance.

And of course, it was floating in mid-air. No wonder it's called Angel Island...

We landed safely on the ground, next to a massive jungle. Tails and Sonic helped us with our luggage and took off again, waving "good-bye".

But only for now.

* * *

_**Ok, since my summer camps are over, I should have more free time to update. So expect more chapters in the near future.**_

_**Bolt receives the offer that changes everything, gets some weird visions again, meets the Freedom Fighters, and moves to Angel Island. **_

_**NOTE 1: Before anyone complains about their ages, may I remind you all that this took place 7 years ago! So as for their age in the present, do the math.**_

_**NOTE 2: You know how Sonic's never in the second seat of the Tornado, but instead riding on the wing of the plane? I call that "wing-riding" **_**(very original, eh?)**

_**NOTE 3: I always pictured the Chaotix living under one roof on Angel Island. As such, I'm making it a reality in this story.**_


	8. My Little Brother

**Chapter 8: My Little Brother**_**  
**_

**Response to ****BlueMist45****'s comment: The characters' ages are based off personality, who's born before who, and what I think the ages **_**should**_** be. Besides, I **_**cannot**_** see Amy being 12 or Tails being 8; it just doesn't seem right!**

**Disclaimer: Is the sky brown? Is the grass pink? Is my brain lost somewhere in the Himalayas and having a snow-cone with the Abominable Snowman? **_**(I got that from "Monsters Inc." :P)**_

* * *

_We've finally arrived to the agency, and met my new team mates. They're really awesome... I hear something, like flapping wings... I can't believe she insulted him like that, and left for the shrine! I must stop- Wait, stay here and watch the bee! ?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

When me and Sensei landed on Angel Island, I was all set to meet the team and start my training as a ninja detective right away.

So why am I stuck at the agency and expected to babysit an energetic 2-year-old! ?

Not to mention the others completely left to pursue this "Bat-Girl", as she is called by the leader. Man, I still remember everything from top to bottom.

* * *

_**[Begin long flashback]**_

_Me and my teacher had to get through a thick jungle, ruins jammed with traps, a mushroom-filled forest, __**and**__ a volcano just to find out new home. By the time we finally got there, it was already 5:47 p.m. and we were both exhausted. Of course, that didn't stop the others from giving us a warm welcome._

_The agency in question was a small two-floor house, with a dark-red roof and round windows. A crooked sign hung above the doorway, containing the words _"Chaotix Detective Agency"_. On the front yard was a picnic table piled high with food. Five Mobians were waiting for us._

_The tallest and oldest of them was a green crocodile with yellow-orange eyes. He wore white gloves, black-white-and-yellow shoes, black wristbands with a gold stripe and matching buckle, and headphones playing loud rap music. His spiked tail thumped the ground to the song's beat, and he looked to be 18 or so._

_Next to him was a black armadillo with a red shell and sky-blue eyes. I was shocked by his resemblance to Sonic; same height, same white gloves, same red-and-white sneakers. Aside from the armadillo's species, color, and 1 year age difference, they could've been twin brothers!_

_In the very front was a red echidna with deep-violet eyes. His gaze said he meant business, yet seemed friendly on the inside. He wore white boxing gloves with 2 spikes on the knuckles. Red shoes with a yellow stripe and a gray block-thing covered his feet. He seemed to be the armadillo's age._

_Off to the side was a yellow squirrel with cobalt-blue eyes. His long curled tail kept swishing back and forth in a rhythmic beat. He wore white gloves, a blue jean jacket with rolled-up sleeves, and matching shoes with a white stripe down the middle. I'm guessing he's a year older than me._

_The last member was clutching the crocodile's arm. He was a black-and-yellow striped bee with honey-yellow eyes. He wore a black T-shirt and a black pilot's helmet with red goggles, both too large on the boy's body. I saw a tiny stinger on his behind, and striped antennae sticking out of the helmet. A pair of small insect wings were beating furiously to keep him suspended in the air._

"'Bout time ya two showed up; I was waitin' for hours!"

"Sorry, Vector. We got a little side-tracked."

As in a flame-throwing robot and his lumberjack buddy, _I thought._

_Introductions were passed around: Knuckles the Echidna is the leader of the Chaotix, Vector the Crocodile is second-in-command, the powerhouse is Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray the Flying-Squirrel is still in training. According to the note that was left in the bee's helmet, the newest and youngest member's name is Charmy Bee._

_I liked Charmy the instant he flew up and greeted me in his toddler speech. Like most developing children, he can't talk properly. The _"S"_ becomes _"TH"_, the _"R"_ and _"L"_ become _"W"_, and so on. _

_The team had set up a picnic for me and Sensei's arrival. On the table were hot-dogs, potato chips, lemonade, and fresh fruit picked from Knuckles' hidden garden. There was also a green-colored tea for Sensei. I tried a sip when he wasn't looking, and it tasted nasty, like grass _(trust me, I know what that's like)_._

_In the basket Bunnie Rabbot gave me this morning were carrot-sugar cookies, which actually taste better than it sounds. I also noticed a jar of honey in the basket, no doubt for you-know-who._

"Hey Charmy, we have honey for-" _**WHOOSH!**_ "-you..."

_The little bee had snatched the jar from my hands, and began eating before I could even blink! Apparently __**some**__one likes their sugar._

_I got along well with everyone; Vector disapproved of me at first, saying _"how he doesn't need another freeloader"_, but lightened up when I said he's got good taste in music. _

_Knuckles found my elemental powers could come in handy on the battlefield - with the right training, of course. _

_Mighty said I reminded him of his little sister, which I count as a good thing._

_And of course there's Charmy, whose young mind saw goodness in everyone._

_Ray, however, seemed too shy to talk to me or even say a hello. And when I glance at him, he quickly looks away. I assume he has no experience around other kids, especially girls, so I'll give him some time to lighten up._

_Other then that issue, things were looking up._

_And then it went downhill._

* * *

_It started with a dare from Mighty. Vector was to eat an entire bag of __**very**__ salty chips in one bite, and not grab a glass of water afterwards. It went well at first, until I noticed the crocodile's eyes were tearing up. I grabbed the bag, and saw they wen't salty chips, but something __**much**__ worse._

_Hot pepper flavor._

_And I just learned that Vector has the ability to breath fire at will. So..._

Spicy snacks + fire breath + an unknowing retile - aftermath water = the following...

"**YAAAAAAAAAAAH! HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOOOOOOOOOOT!"**

_We couldn't help but crack up at Vector. He was running in circles and flapping his arms like a maniac. Actual flames were pouring from his large mouth, and the tears kept flowing. My sides felt like they were gonna literally split!_

_And then __**she**__ came._

"Heh heh; men. They never know when they're pushing the limit, now do you boys?"

_I looked up to the trees, and there she was, standing precisely at the top._

_A white female bat, about 13, was looking down at us with her teal eyes. Her tanned skin and noticeable _"feminine features"_ made her look older. Yet I could tell she was a young teen because of her slightly-high voice._

_She wore a black skin-tight jumpsuit that had a pink heart-shaped chest-plate, white arm-length gloves and white heart-tipped boots. I saw she had a teal eyeshadow and a bit of pink lipstick. She jumped down from the tree and used her bat wings to slow her descent._

_I sensed approaching danger, and readied myself in a fighting stance. Surprisingly, the others - beside Charmy, who was hiding behind my legs - stayed calm, like she wasn't a threat. _

_Everyone that is, except Knuckles. I didn't even know it was possible to turn that red with rage!_

"Bat-Girl! You're here sooner than usual. You want your weekly defeat early, I assume?"

"Not quite, Red-Head. I came to greet the newcomers. They might as well be acquainted with me now than later."

_The bat walked up to me, making Charmy hide again. She seemed like the type to make one lower their guard, then stab them behind their back _(not literally)_. That thought didn't reassure me at all. And the bat examining me like a science experiment wasn't helping. _

_Charmy, meanwhile, was looking at the bat and seeing if she was one of the good guys. I guess he didn't see any good in her, because he asked me,_

"Bowt, ith lady gonna huwt uth? I thcawed."

"Uhh..."

"Well now, a bumbling bee and his poor excuse for a protector. Cute, yet futile. You may call me Rouge the Bat, infamous jewel hunter and thief. And know this, kids: that echidna's treasure **will** be mine!"

"...**NO!** I don't know what Knuckles is hiding, but he's got a good reason to do so. And call me whatever you want, but **never** call my little brother mean names! So just **leave** this place and **never** return!"

_The bat, who said her name's Rouge, seemed taken aback. The others were as well. For a long second, nothing happened. And then..._

_**WHOOSH!**_

_She took to the skies, probably to find that treasure. The Chaotix regained their senses, and began to follow the bat. Sensei told me to stay at the agency, and watch over Charmy._

* * *

_**[End long flashback]**_

And that's why I'm here in my new home at 7 p.m, and expected to keep Charmy safe. Speaking of the kid...

"_Bowt, you thaid I wittle bwotha. That twue?"_

"_...Yes it is. You __**are**__ my little brother. Anyway, it's bedtime for bees like you!"_

"_NO! I NO SWEEP!"_

Yep, it's gonna be a **long** night...

* * *

_30 exhausting minutes of chasing Charmy later..._

I didn't think it was possible, but I finally caught the kid. Carrying him to the living room couch, he struggle against my grasp. I began to think. Catching him was easy; making him fall asleep, however, is a whole other ball game.

That's when an idea struck.

When I was Charmy's age, I accidentally watched a scary movie on my way to bed. Curse my dad's love for _"The Ring"!_ Anyway, I came to my mom later that night, saying I had a nightmare about dying in 7 days. She managed to calm me down and put me to sleep using a song she sang.

Now I'm doing the same.

"_Hey Charmy, wait right here. I have a surprise for you!"_

**That** got him excited. The kid sat upright on the couch, and didn't budge an inch. Perfect.

I raced into Vector's bedroom, and grabbed the microphone I remembered seeing beforehand. Powering up the instrument with my abilities, I began to tap my foot in a steady beat. The melody filled the house, and nabbed Charmy's attention.

* * *

_Good times and bad times,  
__I can count on being with you.  
__I thank you for staying so true._

_My life will go on a long time.  
__Have to catch up when I see you.  
__And you are my reason I can make it through._

_I will give my word that  
__I will come in time to rescue,  
__My heart will always be with you_

_I'm so glad I met you,  
__Being with me wherever.  
__Made for each other, forever._

_I know life can be tough on you,  
__Time and time again  
__Laughter may be gone away._

_I will wipe away my tears  
__Tomorrow.  
__But life must go on,  
__Not so easy that you travel away._

_I will be there  
__If you need me.  
__And I know you'll do the same.  
__I can see you,  
__I can hear you  
__In my heart._

_You will be here,  
__If I need you  
__I will never have to guess.  
__'Cause we are very special friends_

_Oh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh._

_So send me a letter,  
__Let me know how you're doing.  
__You are my lifetime and true friend._

_We'll never be forgotten.  
__Having trust is all we really need.  
__You are always with me in the life I lead._

_So far, far away,  
__From life I used to know  
__Worries are to follow too._

_I will stop and close my eyes,  
__Remember.  
__And at the rainbow I can take you.  
__I will catch it for you._

_Memories you can recall with me,  
__Any time of day.  
__You can reach out, you can ask me,  
__In your soul._

_I will answer when you call me.  
__I will come, no matter how.  
__'Cause we are very special friends._

_Just like a river that flows.  
__Just like stars and the dark night.  
__Meet me in the storm.  
__Meet me in the dark.  
__You are the light of my life._

_Ohhh._

_I will be there  
__If you need me  
__And I know you'll do the same.  
__I can see you,  
__I can hear you  
__In my heart._

_You will be here  
__If I need you.  
__I'll never have to guess.  
__'Cause we are very special friends._

_Memories you can recall with me,  
__Any time of day.  
__You can reach out, you can ask me,  
__In your soul._

_I will answer when you call me.  
__I will come, no matter how.  
__'Cause we are very special friends._

_Oh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh._

_Oh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh._

_Oh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh._

* * *

By the time I finished, Charmy was fast asleep. I couldn't help but smile as I tucked him in. Putting away the instrument, I looked at him once more.

Good night, my little brother...

* * *

_**Finally it's done! And it only took 2 days because I accidentally deleted this chapter's content the first time!**_

_**Pushing that aside, Bolt meets the Chaotix, has a run-in with Rouge, and sings for Charmy. Kind of a slow chapter, but I promise it'll get better. In fact, an idea for the next chapter had just hit me right now as I'm typing this!**_

_**NOTE 1: The song is "Dear My Friend" by Brent Cash. It's the credits song for "Sonic Unleashed".**_

_**NOTE 2: I know Rouge isn't completely heartless, but that's 7 years from now, when she's 20. Until then you get a snobby, bratty, 13-year-old Bat-Girl.**_

_**NOTE 3: I'm not help you readers decipher Charmy's toddler talk. Figure it out for yourselves.**_

_**NOTE 4: Recall Team Chaotix's Team Blast from "Sonic Heroes". They played horrible music. So I figured Vector would wanna start a band with his fellow detectives, hence why Ray has a piano keyboard in his room.**_


	9. Amiss tery

**Chapter 9: Amiss-tery**

**Warning: This chapter's main plot - and it's lame title - literally came to me last night. As such, it may very well suck. You have been warned...**

**Disclaimer: I need more reviews!**

* * *

_Well, __**that**__ was a weird dream... They haven't returned yet. Where could they be?... The bat mentioned a hidden treasure. Perhaps the others are there right now... Something was taken from this shrine, I just know it! __**Her**__ doing, no doubt... I don't understand. Why's the gem acting up like this?... I'm feeling a strong power deep inside me. What's going on here! ?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

Man, what a day! I got to ride on the wings of a bi-plane, outrun two massive robots, have a nasty run-in with a stuck-up bat, then chase and catch a hyperactive bee.

Despite the time being 7:40 p.m, I was very tired and wanted to sleep. The only available place to rest was the guest-room. There wasn't much in there; blank walls, a small closet, a single bed, and a dresser with an alarm-clock next to the bed. The whole place was the size of a bathroom. And I could careless about that!

When I finally fell asleep, it was too late to realize the problem.

My strange dreams.

* * *

_I was in a dark and narrow tunnel, which started to trigger my slight claustrophobia. There was a faint light at the very end, and I began to sprint. During my run, I saw a swirl of images._

_There was a humanoid being with green eyes, and looked to be made entirely out of water. The beast made of smoke and bronze gears was back, but it had several portals around it. I noticed another hedgehog, but he was black with red streaks and matching eyes. _

_Next came the girl with rosebuds in her green hair I saw before. She was holding a crystal-like object that had a tiny galaxy inside. I saw Sonic again, but he looked older. His quills turned a dark blue, and his pupils and irises vanished, leaving the whites of his eyes._

_Sonic changed again, but he turned a golden color, and his returned eyes were ruby-red. 7 gemstones surrounded his new form, and he was holding a large gold ring._

_I kept running to the tunnel's end, but it seemed to stretch out farther than before. And then I tripped._

_The fall was endless, and another image came. This time it was a pink hedgehog about my age. She was holding a large hammer of some kind, and pure hatred was in her eyes. The hedgehog ran toward me, readied her weapon, and cried out._

**"DIE!"**

* * *

"_AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"_

I woke up with a start, and looked around in a daze. I was back in the small room, in the bed, and not getting smashed by a mallet. Thank the gods!

The alarm clock said 8:34 in the morning. And I wasn't gonna get rest anytime soon. Why?

"_Bowt? You awake? I hungwy!"_

**That's** why. Apparently my screech had woken up my little brother.

Due to us being in high altitude because of the island in the sky, it was chilly in the house. I threw on my cloak, and slid down on the stair rails. Flying around the living room was Charmy. He had his ace pilot goggles on, and was imitating fighter jet sounds.

"_Tawget thighted. Waunch!"_

He pointed his finger guns at me, and made shooting noises. I decided to play along and see how Charmy reacts. Pulling a back-flip, I dodged the first round of "bullets". A somersault to the back of the couch evaded the second, and I even fired my own finger gun after the third try.

The bee had a harder time dodging my shots. Mostly because he tried to imitate my moves. And let's just say it's a good thing he's got a helmet on.

After Charmy's crash collision with the TV, he "surrendered" by waving a white feather he got from the couch. I couldn't help but laugh, and figured the best "punishment" for him was honey on toast for breakfast.

* * *

While eating, the bee grabbed a pair of spoons and banged them on the table. I noticed Charmy kept doing this in a steady, rhythmic beat. And he was really amazing! Now that I think about it, Vector **did** want to start a band with the others. Maybe he'll get his wish **and** a new drummer at the same time! I have to tell him!

I ran to Vector's bedroom, and knocked on the door. Nothing. I peaked inside, and saw he wasn't there. Posters of rock bands, rappers, and DJs on the green walls. A framed photo of the team. Various piles of dirty clothes and trash. A messy bed. No crocodile.

Speaking of which, I haven't seen the others at all. Surely the ruckus me and Charmy would have woken them up. And I don't recall them entering the house late at night.

That leaves one other option. And it ain't pretty.

"_Charmy, get dressed. You and me are taking a little adventure!"_

"_Yay! Adventuwe, adventuwe!"_

I checked my cloak pockets for everything. Combat knife, family picture, and the white-gray jewel. Charmy had on an orange hand-me-down jacket. I locked the front door, and placed the key under the welcome mat. We were ready.

Here's what I figured: The Chaotix followed Rouge the Bat - who was after Knuckles' treasure - from below. Because Vector's too large and impatient to weave around the trees, he'd bash or burn them. That means he left fallen trees or a trail of ash behind, which leads right to the treasure, the team, and the bat!

"_Alright Charmy, let's play 'Follow the Leader'. I walk on ahead, and you follow me. Got it?"_

He got it, all right. As in he was copying my every movement! I found this annoying yet helpful at the same time. First off, it'll keep him out of some danger, like when I jump over a river or duck under a branch. Second, if my theory about the Chaotix's whereabouts is correct, he needs to be absolutely quiet.

I was right about Vector; this is the one time I'm thankful for his impatience. A large path of blackened earth laid ahead. It's a wonder the whole forest didn't burn down!

* * *

Some time went by before another sight came before me and Charmy. We were at the base of the island's mountain. In front of us was a stone staircase leading up to an old shrine. Even though nothing was in the shrine, I could sense a strong and powerful energy.

"_Bowt! The cwoak gwowing!"_

Surely enough, my cloak pocket **was** emitting a white light. It was coming from the silver gem, and gleamed like it was reacting.

And then the strangest of strange events took place.

"_**WHOA!"**_

The jewel was **tugging **me, I kid you not! It shook in my grasp, and pulled me toward a hidden cave. For a gemstone, it sure has a strong tug! Charmy - who still thought we were playing 'Follow the Leader' - flew toward me.

I ran along the cave's path, speeding up the jewel's pull. Thankfully it was still glowing, so I don't have Charmy freaking out about the dark. Then the light wasn't needed anymore.

We've reached the end, leading to a large and tall cavern. Lanterns were hung from the walls, and cave drawings were etched everywhere. Standing on a stone display in the center was a huge diamond-shaped emerald, and I mean huge! It had to be the size of a car; well, **that** explains why my jewel was acting weird.

At the display's base were mounds of valuables; chalices, scepters, jewelry, crowns, and medieval gauntlets. All of it was jeweled and gilded. Treasure chests poured out gold coins and gems of every kind. But that wasn't the reason me and Charmy were here. The reason was at the very top.

Standing next to the emerald was Rouge the Bat. She was wearing a ton of the jewelry, a gauntlet on each hand, and a king's crown hung from one of her large ears. She held both a chalice and a scepter in her hands, and was admiring her reflection with the emerald, striking pose after pose.

Despite having supersonic hearing, she didn't notice us yet. Weird...

At the very bottom of the treasure pile was the rest of the Chaotix. They were all tied up with metallic rope, and had duct tape over their mouths. Or, in Vector's case, wrapped around their snout.

I gestured Charmy to follow my lead, and he swiftly obeyed. Using one of the diamonds from the pile, I began to cut the rope that held Ray. Charmy did the same thing to Knuckles, but with more wounds from the sharp gem and more silent scolds.

The process took longer than I thought. And my heart stopped for a moment when I heard a voice.

"_Trying to play the hero, boy?"_

I **knew** something was amiss when Rouge didn't hear us!

Charmy got the right idea, and hid in the treasure pile. She didn't seem to hear or see him. I, however, had a different idea.

"_I'm a __**girl,**__ you brainless bat. And I'm not being a hero. I just want my friends back."_

"_And you'll get them - __**if**__ you defeat me."_

_**POW!**_

A hard kick to the stomach. And I just had that previous wound healed! Fine by me if she wants to play rough.

Rouge took to the air, brandishing a large gem like a knife. She's not alone. Mini tornados blasted from my shoes, and I flew upward. Pulling out my combat knife, I readied myself for battle.

I propelled forward and slashed away. She pulled a backflip at the last second, just an inch away from the blade. The bat swung her weapon upward, and knocked my knife out of my hand. It fell on the stone floor and shattered.

"_Seems your game's over, kid. Ready to give up?"_

"_No! I'll never!"_

* * *

_**[Rouge's P.O.V]**_

A most extraordinary event happened just then. The hedgehog's cloak pocket began to glow white, engulfing her in the light. Even from this distance, I could feel the energy within her. Both her and myself stared in shock and wonder.

She looked at me, and smirked.

The hedgehog began to spin rapidly like a top, creating a tornado. But unlike most, this one shot pure electricity from within. And it was getting closer to me!

Even my expert flight skills couldn't escape the danger. All the gold everywhere didn't help, either. I was sucked inside, swirling around and getting shocked alive. Never in my 13 years of life have I felt this much pain. Then again, I haven't been in a whole lot of battles.

The tornado vanished and I dropped to the ground, wounded and weak. I shot a murderous glare at the hedgehog, who was freeing the Chaotix, and flew for the exit. You may have won **this** round, girl. But Rouge the Bat **always** returns!

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

"_That was amazing, Bolt!"_

"_Sweet moves back there, kid."_

"_How did you pull that off?"_

"_Want mowe wight show!"_

"_...Well done, my student."_

The team saw the entire fight and that glow from my pocket. For some reason, they think it's a secret move I've been hiding. As such, I'm receiving a lot of compliments. Even Charmy, who I think should get some credit for tagging along, praised my doings.

Except Knuckles, who was deep in thought. And when **that** happens, nothing can shake him out of it.

"_...Bolt, can you give me the source of that light from before?"_

I didn't question the echidna, and gave him the gray-white jewel. Knuckles examined it for a moment before speaking. He asked me where I got the gem, so I told him about my run-in with Nack the Weasel and his crew. Once more, the echidna pondered. A minute passed.

Knuckles then crouched down to my height, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"_Kid, what you've got here is a Chaos Emerald. Only 7 of these exist, and each hold an incredible might. When brought together in one place, a person with a strong heart and soul can achieve the ultimate power._

"_Because you cared for us and didn't give up, you were able to tap into the Chaos Emerald's power. Think of what might happen if you had all 7 of them!"_

I began to do so. But not what might happen to me, but to Sonic. The vision in my dream, of him achieving a golden super form... Could the very same be done to me?

Only time will tell. And until then, I'll be waiting.

* * *

_**WOOOOOHOOOOOO! 2 chapters in 2 days, dude! I'm on a roll!**_

_**Bolt gets more visions, her's and Charmy's first mystery, a somewhat lame showdown with Rouge, a reaction from the Chao Emerald, and a lesson on them.**_

_**NOTE 1: Claustrophobia - the fear of small / tight / confined areas**_

_**NOTE 2: The move Bolt pulled off is called "Thunder Twist". I couldn't think of anything better...**_

_**NOTE 3: Recall what Rouge said about the gold and "how it didn't help". Gold has the ability to conduct / allow the flow of electricity. And quite easily too, I might add.**_


	10. Training 101

**Chapter 10: Training 101**

**Before this starts, I want to thank all of those who've read this story. 'Cause of you guys and girls, I've hit ten chapters and twenty-some reviews! Thank you all so so so so much; rock on!**

**Descargo de responsabilidad: No tengo el elenco de Sonic. Ellos pertenecen a Sega, Sonic Team, y Archie **_**(I used the Spanish mode on Google Translate! :P)**_**.**

* * *

_At long last, my lessons begins today... I knew it was going to be tough, but never __**this**__ hard!... "What makes a great ninja is not their strength or skill, but what's in their heart."... "The best detectives always expect the unexpected."... "Your soul and spirit are only gateways to your inner Chaos."... I learned all this, but what does it mean to me?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

I was bursting with energy after my showdown with Rouge. Finally, after so long, my training starts today! Not only will I learn ninjutsu, but also how to be a detective and how to work with the Chaos Emeralds.

When Knuckles witnessed me using one of the emeralds, he insisted I should know how to connect and properly use them. I had no objections, and gladly accepted the echidna's offer.

Vector said he'll teach me on how to be a detective, since I'm officially part of the team. Ray and Charmy will be my "classmates". And of course, there's Sensei Espio's lessons on becoming a ninja.

I understood the future difficulties in store, but how hard can it be?

* * *

Apparently, **very** hard.

First up: Ninjutsu. The backyard and the agency's basement became our dojo, literally translated to "place of the way". A wooden stage sat on the grass outside, covering much ground. Inside the basement were polished wood floors, windows near the ceiling, and a glass door leading to the backyard.

I was wearing a white outfit that's called a "gi". The top had wide sleeves, and was put on like a jacket. Matching pants and a white tie-around belt finished the look. I was also barefoot. Sensei wore the same clothes, but his belt was black.

"_Before we start your actual training, I'll have to see how your current skills already are."_

**Test 1: Balance**

I soon found myself standing on top of a tall rock. My eyes were closed, and my hands were placed together, like I was praying. I also straightened my back, and was standing on one foot. This position was maintained for about a minute or so.

Then **this** happened.

_**BANG... BANG... BANG...**_

I could feel the rock being pounded on, struggling to stay upright. It would seem Sensei was putting my balance skills to the max, as he was hitting the rock with a mallet. After another 5 hits, I fell.

"_**Agh!**__... Ok, so how was that?"_

"_Your overall balance is very sturdy; most students would fall after the first hit or two. However, a massive landing or earthquake would instantly knock you off your feet, something we need to work on."_

**Test 2: Speed**

The course will take me to the Master Emerald Shrine and back again; about a mile at least. I crouched down in an Olympic runner stance, and waited for Sensei's call.

"_Ready... __**go!**__"_

_**WHOOSH!**_

I took off for the woods, crossing the burnt path from earlier that day. The shrine appeared in my sight a minute later. I could see the Master Emerald in it's rightful place. Knuckles was there as well, but he was taking a nap.

I ran around the shrine, and sprinted back to the dojo. The instant I crossed the finish line, Sensei stopped the clock.

_*huff huff* "How'd I do?"_

"_Impressive; a little over 20 seconds, which is about 290 miles per hour. You're very close to my running speed."_

**Test 3: Strength**

For this test, Sensei _(and Mighty) _gathered several boulders of various weights, ranging from 10 pounds to 100. The heaviest one weighed ten tons, A.K.A twenty thousand pounds!

I had no problem with the boulders, then I hit the 210 pound rock. That one took much effort and a full minute of my time, but it was eventually heaved off the ground.

My arms gave way at 270 pounds. I couldn't even feel them, and they looked more white than before.

Sensei didn't say anything; both he and I knew ninjutsu wasn't all about strength. I was given a quick break and a bottle of water afterwards.

**Test 4: Stealth**

"_Stealth is all about secrecy; staying hidden, being quiet, so on and so forth. In a ninja's case, they blend in with their surroundings, hence why most of them wear black. How are you with stealth?"_

"_I'm pretty decent; here, watch this!"_

From my teacher's view, it'd look like I'm turning into a liquid and being absorbed into the earth. In reality, I'm **becoming** the earth. Not a sound or sight was made during the process.

I moved around a little bit before literally popping up from the ground. Sensei looked impressed.

"_Very nice. This will come in handy for future cases. I'll calculate your test results and see what rank you're at. And before I forget; remember that what makes a great ninja is not their strength or skill, but what's in their heart."_

What's in the heart... Is he saying to try my hardest, no matter what?

* * *

Next class: Case Solving. After a quick lunch and a clothes change, me, Ray, and Charmy were sitting on the living room couch and facing out "teachers", Vector and Mighty _(who had nothing better to do and decided to help)_.

"_Alright class. In order to become a great detective, one must have the following qualities:_

_**1. An eye for detail: **__Pay close attention to things one might miss, like small evidence and slight tweaks in someone's story._

_**2. Reasoning skills: **__Try not to jump to conclusions so fast; use process of elimination to find a steady lead._

_**3. Keep an open mind: **__Find potentially strange events in a crowd of people using subtle cues, like raised voices and hand gestures. _

_**4. Finding information: **__Know what the case is, then obtain any / all evidence and records._

_**5. Asking questions: **__Get the evidence without pressurizing or making the witness feel uncomfortable. Avoid yes-or-no questions as well._

_**6. Note-recording: **__Always write down observations details; they might spark your memory in the future._

_**7. Be subtle: **__When tracking down clues or a suspect, never forget to blend in with the crowd. Bring a book or an MP3 player to look less suspicious._

_**8. Stay safe: **__Don't put your life in danger all the time; you might be running right into a trap. Only take risks if someone else's life's on the line."_

I wrote down everything in the notebook I was given. It seemed like basic knowledge, and some can apply to real life. Observe all surroundings, don't stand out, write down info, play it safe... Piece of cake!

Vector brought out a box full of random objects; hair combs, erasers, pencils, baseballs, and other stuff. The crocodile dumped everything on the floor, and explained.

"_Today, we're practicing Rule #1, an eye for detail. Observe the objects on the ground, and remember their position. Once you're done you'll be blind-folded, and I'll switch up the objects. Your job is to put everything back in it's former place."_

I stared at the mess, and tried to memorize it all. Not an easy task.

It was only then when I say the mess was much like a chess board; rubber-duck at D6, gym sock at A3, action figure at G7, and so on.

Time was up, and I was the first contestant. After the switch-up, I removed the blind-fold and began. Because the first mess looked so much like a grid, I memorized all the positions. Sure, it took a bit of time to remember some of them, but I was soon finished.

"_Excellent work, Bolt! Alright Ray, you're up."_

The others had it all memorized like me, but Ray'e time was better than mine, and Charmy got distracted by the rubber-duck. Eventually they prevailed. By then, it was 3 p.m. Time to see Knuckles!

"_Ok students, class is over. But before going, remember that the best detectives always expect the unexpected..."_

Always do that... As in keep an eye out for surprises?

* * *

Final lesson: Chaos Concentration. The location was right in front of the Master Emerald. Both me and Knuckles sat across from each other Indian-style. Between us was the silver Chaos Emerald.

And I was getting a **really** long history on the Emeralds and their power. **Bore-ring!**

"_The Chaos Energy effects all living things __**blah blah blah blah blah**__ nearly wiped out the entire clan __**blah blah blah blah blah blah**__ which makes this island floats __**blah blah blah blah blah blah**__ sent down from the gods themselves __**blah blah blah blah blah blah**__ a new Guardian every generation __**blah blah blah blah blah blah**__ and that's how we have the Master and Chaos Emeralds. Did you get all that?"_

"_**ZzZzZzZzZz...**__ Wha...? Oh! Oh yeah, heard everything you said!"_

I swear I saw one of Knuckles' blood veins form on his head.

"_...Right... Now then; as I said before, all living creatures can tap into the Chaos Energy, though some better than others. Try for yourself; be rid of every thought, relax, and focus on the Emerald's power. Your soul and spirit are only gateways to your inner Chaos."_

I grasped the silver gem, and concentrated with all my might. I pushed all thoughts in the back of my mind, and tried to relax.

My soul and spirit are only gateways...

Connect with my inner Chaos...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Focus...

Fo-

"_Bolt, look!"_

I opened my eyes, and say I was glowing a faint white. It's working! I then recalled what happened the first time, when I was fighting Rouge. The determination to not give up and the concern for my friends made me gather some of the Emerald's power.

Perhaps... Yeah, it might work!

I pictured the Chaotix in a cage, hanging above boiling lava with no chance of escape. In front of me was a giant alien robot from outer space, mocking me and asking if I was ready to give in.

The drive and courage to save my friends returned. The white glow around me grew brighter by the second.

I think that's enough for one day; time to relax...

The glow left me, as did the image in my mind. Knuckles stopped shielding his eyes to see me stand up, the Emerald in my hand and a smile on my face.

"_Great job, kid. You're quite the promising student."_

"_Thanks!"_

Late that day, I recalled what my teachers said to me.

"_What makes a great ninja is not their strength or skill, but what's in their heart.__" "__The best detectives always expect the unexpected.__" "__Your soul and spirit are only gateways to your inner Chaos.__"_

What does it all mean?

_**Awesome! Cheers to 10 successful chapters! **_***raises pop can***

_**Bolt gets too much training, and very confusing advice from her "teachers". Not much to say here...**_

_**NOTE 1: I got the skill testing idea from reading karate articles. Of course, they didn't lift 200+ pound rocks or keep their balance while trying to be knocked over.**_

_**SPOILER ALERT!: Next time, the Chaotix go solve a kidnapping case!**_


	11. Lucky Seven Spar

**Chapter 11: Lucky Seven Spar**

**Happy Late Birthday, Mom! Even after all these years, you still rock and I'm proud to be called your daughter!**

**Warning!: Some mild one-sided Vector x Vanilla. Don't like the pairing, don't read the part.**

**Disclaimer: Ek het nie die Sonic gooi. Hulle behoort te Sega, Sonic span, en Archie. **_**(More Google translate! This language is Afrikaans. And yes, my disclaimers will be in different languages until I run out of them.)**_

* * *

_My first actual case with the others; I'm so excited!... Her child's been kidnapped some time ago, apparently in a meadow... A black ribbon and a blue feather... They've teamed up to take me down! And they'll only let the girl free if I surrender to them. Yeah right, like __**that's**__ gonna happen. Team Chaotix, __**go!**_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

About 2 weeks had passed since my lessons began. In that time I've greatly improved my skills, both old and new.

I'm still a white belt in Sensei's class _(I need about 6 more weeks to get the orange belt)_, but I'm doing pretty well. It'd appear I'm very skilled with a blade, be it a knife or sword. Properly using the shuriken, - or "throwing stars" - however, is my greatest challenge.

We practiced interrogation in Vector's class for a while. Basically, you pressurize and/or slightly torture the suspect until they tell you everything they know. I find that my second favorite part about case-solving _(the first is taking away / beating up the bad guys)_. And my elemental powers come in handy!

Knuckles' lessons are quite interesting. I've learned that if someone with a strong heart and spirit can connect with their inner Chaos, the power they get is near limitless. One example is the ability to teleport anywhere, a process called "Chaos Control". I tried it out once, and ended up on the mountain top.

My lessons are pretty tough, but I'm pulling through just fine.

Then, the ultimate testing came.

* * *

Training was over for the day, and I was trying my best to relax. Not easy when it feels like your bones are gonna snap from hand-to-hand combat earlier in the day.

I was sitting behind Vector's work desk, reading files of old cases. Not truly that interesting; a robbery here, a missing person there... all solved within a week's time. The longest it took to solve a case was a 10-day period _(it was a murder, mind you)_.

I looked at the clock on the wall; 5:03 p.m. It was my turn to make dinner tonight. Might as well get star-

_***ring ring* *ring ring***_

The black telephone on the desk was ringing. Better answer it. Ok, remember what Mighty said if someone calls us.

_*__**ahem***__ "Chaotix Detective Agency, Bolt speaking."_

"_P-Please, you... you m-must help me! M-My daughter... S-She's been kidnapped!"_

I could hear the person crying over the phone. It was loud to the point where I pulled it away from my ear. The poor woman's heart must be breaking.

"_Ok ok, calm down ma'am. I promise, me and the team __**will**__ find your child, or your money back. Can you give me a location for us to see you at? We're gonna need more details on the kidnapping."_

"_***sniff***__ O-Of course; I'll tell you my home's location. Does 5:30 tonight seem fine to you?"_

"_Perfect! We'll be right over, ma'am."_

After hanging up, I scribbled down the address, time, and type of case on a spare sheet of paper, then called the others into the living room _(thank the gods everyone was in the agency when I yelled)_.

I explained everything, and handed the paper to Knuckles. He bore no visible emotion, probably because they've done a kidnapping case before.

"_Between Green Hill Zone and the Aquatic Ruins... She wants us there at 5:30... Alright then! Good thing I brought a Warp Ring with me."_

I remember Knuckles telling me about those; to use them, one must touch the ring while thinking about the location they wanna go to. When the ring expands, you then step right through and arrive at your destination. Quite a neat way to travel.

The echidna touched the ring, and I watched as it grew bigger. Charmy, curious as always, flew right on in. He didn't come out the other side. Knuckles proceeded, as did Vector and Sensei. Me and Mighty had to shove Ray through the ring; he kept saying the ring would "gobble him up for dinner".

After going through the ring, I looked around in amazement. We must have arrived in Green Hill Zone. The ground was layered in emerald-green grass, and palm trees stood tall and proud. Small waterfalls crossed the area, each with a rope bridge above the waves.

I had to keep reminding myself that we're not here to sightsee. Our client awaits us!

* * *

_25 very bizarre minutes later..._

Never will I look at fish and robots the same way ever again!

Pushing that aside, we're finally here and not a moment too soon! The house was a small cottage with pale-yellow bricks. A dome-shaped roof with a tiny window covered the little abode. The windows on the first floor had their own flower box, the plants in full bloom. A sign hung on the wooden door, saying "Home of the Rabbit Family". All in all, the place looked like a life-size dollhouse!

I knocked a few times before someone answered. It was a Mobian cream-colored rabbit with a white muzzle, chocolate-brown eyes and a tuff of light brown hair on her head. She had light-brown markings around her eyes and on the ends of her lopped ears. She wore a long purple dress with a white trim and a fitted burgundy vest, an orange ascot, white gloves with gold cufflinks, and low-heeled burgundy shoes. Her eyes were slightly red from crying, and she seemed to be in her 20's. She was a bit shorter than Vector.

"_You must be the detectives I called earlier. Please come in."_

The decor was fairly simple; brown couch facing a television, a small coffee table, a house plant here and there. I also noticed a framed picture on the table.

It showed the rabbit woman holding her newborn child; a rabbit girl wrapped in a blanket. Standing next to them was another rabbit, but a male, no doubt the woman's husband. He had cinnamon-colored fur and chocolate-brown eyes. His ears stuck straight up, unlike his wife's and kid's. He wore a bandanna and gloves, both the color of his eyes. At the bottom of the picture were the words "Rest in Peace, Cinnamon the Rabbit". I guess the woman's husband is dead.

Back in reality, the woman set down a tray, holding 8 teacups and a matching teapot. The warm drink tasted like Sensei's green tea, but with a raspberry-like flavor.

"_Before I begin, let me introduce myself. I'm Ms. Vanilla the Rabbit."_

"_A pleasure to me you. I'm Knuckles; that's Vector, Espio, Mighty, Ray, Charmy, and Bolt. Now then, can you tell us what the problem is?"_

"_... Around 4:50, I called for my daughter, telling her to come in soon. She never arrived. I know she was kidnapped because someone left a note on the windowsill. It said, '__Call the following number, or you will never see your child again__'."_

"_Can you tell us where you last saw your kid?"_

"_She was in the nearby meadow, picking flowers with her friend. Speaking of which, he too went missing."_

"_No doubt he was also kidnapped. Do you mind leading us to this meadow?"_

"_Of course; right this way."_

Ms. Vanilla led us through the back door and down a cobblestone path. The trail ended at a small outdoor canopy, with a round picnic table underneath. A huge field of various flowers expanded in front of us. It was like staring at a rainbow.

Due to the large area we had to search, the team split up and began looking. I was paying little attention in the clue hunt. Why? The note Ms. Vanilla found said to call our agency. No criminal in their right mind would force a person to ask for help! So why did they want that to happen?

I stared at the others. Mighty was helping Ray search for clues. Knuckles was looking along the woods. Charmy got easily distracted by the flowers and was currently picking some _(makes sense 'cause he's a bee)_. Ms. Vanilla sat at the picnic table and was being interviewed by Sensei. All of them were too busy to help me with my predicament.

And that leaves Vector.

He was investigating the field like the others - or at least, trying to. The crocodile had a strange expression on his face; far-off look in his eyes, weird smile on his face, and part of his snout was a light pink. He seemed to be staring at Ms. Vanilla, and was oblivious to the surrounding world.

"_Ah, I've seen that expression before."_

I turned around, and saw Mighty standing behind me. He hid a smirk, and looked at Vector.

"_Looks like Green Guy here's experiencing life's true magic: love!"_

"_Love? What's that?"_

"_It's when a guy really like a girl or when a girl really likes a guy, up to the point where that guy and girl want to spend to rest of their lives with each other. So they go through a process called 'marriage', where they vow to protect and love each other forever."_

"_So you think Vector's in love?"_

"_I don't think; I know. And he's in love with Ms. Vanilla! Shame she's married."_

"_... Uh, Mighty, she's a widow. I saw a picture of her with two others, and it said 'Rest in Peace, Cinnamon the Rabbit'. I'm guessing that rabbit was Ms. Vanilla's late husband. So in a way, Vector has a chance."_

"_Really now? Well, let's hope for the be-"_

In mid-sentence, I heard Charmy cry out for us, saying he found something. I just hope it's important to the case.

The little bee was holding two items, both found in the trees. The first was a black ribbon, about 18 inches long. Next was a bright-blue feather about half the length of the first item.

One would assume the feather came from a Flicky Bird, but this one's much too big. So it must belong to a Mobian bird. As for the ribbon, that could come from anything.

We asked Ms. Vanilla if she knew any Mobians with blue feathers and black ribbons. She seemed just as confused as us.

And then...

"_Thomeone pwease thave me!"_

A faint voice cried for help. It was high-pitched, and spoke improperly. Was it Ms. Vanilla's daughter?

It must have been, because the woman rushed toward the woods, following the voice. I followed her, as did the others. The voice kept calling, and we kept running. Soon, we found the source.

All 8 of us came into a clearing, nothing but grass in a large circle surrounded by trees. In the very center was a glass sphere, probably a cage. And two beings were inside.

The one I first saw resembled Ms. Vanilla in several ways. In the cage was a Mobian cream-colored rabbit, with a white muzzle and chocolate-brown eyes. Light-brown marks were around her eyes and on her lopped ears. She wore a plain dress and ballet flats, both the color of her eyes. She had to be Charmy's age and size.

Next to the girl was a blue Chao with dark-blue eyes. He had yellow marks on his hands, feet, and tip of the head. Floating above him was a matching orb. Unlike most Chao, this one wore a red bow-tie.

Both the girl and the Chao looked extremely frightened, and hugged each other for comfort. They then saw us, and brightened up instantly.

Ray flew to the top of the sphere, and opened the hatch. The girl and the Chao climbed out, and ran to Ms. Vanilla. The three embraced each other like it was their last time. I couldn't help but smile at the family reunion.

"_Oh Cream, I was so worried about you! What happened?"_

"_Bad peopwe came; wocked me away."_

"Bad people"? What would criminals want an innocent little girl for?

Unless... She was set up as...

"_Bait..."_

Nine pairs of eyes turned to Knuckles, looks of confusion on our faces.

"_Guys, don't you get it? Cream was kidnapped and used to lure us here. This case was nothing but-"_

"_A trap, set up by us."_

An accented voice rang out through the clearing. 7 figures - hidden in the shadows - stepped away from the trees. It wasn't their numbers that got me freaked out. Here's what did:

I met them before.

Underneath the trees stood Nack, Bean, and Bark of Team Hooligan. Next to them was Lightning Lynx and his team-mates. The 7 beings I got on my bad side nearly a month ago!

That explains the blue feather and the black ribbon; they came from the hawk on Lightning's team and from Nack's hat. Speaking of the weasel...

"_Nevah thought we'd see ya again, kid. But life's full o' surprises. When I heard ya teamed with the Chaotix, it gave ta window of opportunity ta git revenge. And da Fearsome Foursome were more than happy ta help. Think ya can take us all on, kid?"_

I quickly scanned the opponents; Nack had his pistol, making him pretty lethal. Same goes to Bean and his bombs. I've witnessed Bark's strength, so he's also dangerous. Lightning's speed is admirable, and I also fought him. The gorilla, frog, and hawk are the ones I'm not sure of.

We can **definitely** take them.

"_You're right, dude. I can't win against all of you... alone, that is. If you haven't noticed, I have back-up."_

I gestured to the rest of the Chaotix, who prepared themselves for battle. Ms. Vanilla took the opportunity to take Cream and the Chao back home. Through silent exchanges with my team, we knew who goes after who. Our opponents seemed to know as well.

Without warning, all 14 of us charged.

Nack fired his pistol at my teacher, who dodged each shot and threw a shuriken at the weasel. Charmy managed to catch one of Bean's bombs, and hurled it back at the duck. Bark and Vector kept throwing punch after punch at each other.

Knuckles kept dodging the gorilla's attacks, and tried to look for an opening. Ray and the hawk had taken their fight in the sky, so it was hard to tell who was winning. Mighty was chasing the frog, who was shouting out random nonsense and mocking the armadillo.

That leaves one person left for me: Lightning Lynx.

"_We meet again, brat."_

"_It would seem so..."_

"_Better say your prayers, because I won't hold back!"_

He rushed toward me, charging up a swift punch. But this time, I was ready. Pulling a backflip, I soared over the lynx. I landed just in time to see him ram into a tree. He got up, anger in his eyes.

"_Ya know, I'm ashamed at you, Lightning."_

"_What?"_

"_Didn't your parents ever teach you about discipline? One can't attack a child just like that, and a girl none the less."_

**That** got him. The lynx stared at me in pure shock, letting the information sink in. You see, when we first encountered, Lightning assumed I was a boy. Can't blame him; I **do** look like one. So when I told him I was a girl, one could only imagine the surprise.

And that's exactly what I wanted.

_**POW! THUD!**_

I was charging up energy in my fist the entire time, and Lightning's shock was my window of opportunity. Call it payback for what happened a month ago.

The lynx got up once more, readying himself for more battle. Several kicks and punches were exchanged between me and him. I was just glad for all my training with Sensei.

Lightning got the better of me, and I was down in 6 minutes. I could feel my broken leg mending itself. I watched as he pulled out a blue switchblade from his boot, holding it above his head and aiming for my heart. My vision was blurry, but I was positive his eyes glinted a blood-red.

Great, he's gonna kill me. And I had so much to live for! I shut my eyes, waiting for my game to end.

"_**NO! NOT HER!"**_

A young voice rang through the air, and I could feel my body being lifted. Once again, I lost consciousness.

* * *

_More weird dreams again. Why is it always like this?_

_All around me was blackness. I couldn't even see myself! Strangely enough, no visions came. Just... sounds._

_I heard the faint ticking of a clock grow louder. Gunshots rang through the air, as did the roars of a beast. Voices cried out, saying multiple things I couldn't make out._

_Something appeared in front of me, like it formed from smoke. It was the pink hedgehog again, the one with the hammer. I didn't trust her at all, so I prepared myself for anything she was gonna pull. She held her weapon above her head, fiery rage in her eyes. _

_It was then when I could feel myself waking up. The last thing I heard was the pink hedgehog's voice._

"NOW YOU'RE GONNA PAY!"

* * *

"_Wait, what'd I do! ?"_

I jumped up and whirled around, yet saw no signs of pink rage. I was in a hospital, lying one one of the beds. Pain rushed through my body, and I laid back down. My leg was in a white cast. Various bandages were wrapped around my smaller wounds.

"_Bowt, you not dead!"_

Turning my head, I saw Charmy sitting in a chair. I never felt so happy to see a familiar face!

A nurse raccoon came in, telling the bee his 5 minutes of visitation were up. As Charmy left, Knuckles came in. I guess the team were seeing me 5 minutes at a time.

I got the whole story from the echidna; before Lightning could stab me, Ray flew in and grabbed me. He soared back to Ms. Vanilla's house, where she called the Station Square Hospital. I've been here for about 2 hours.

I was so grateful for Ray, and said my thanks by giving him a hug. I guess he never got one from a girl before, because he stood frozen in place. Mighty had to snap his fingers in front of Ray to bring him back to his senses.

After the Chaotix were done with their visits, more came in. Ms. Vanilla arrived, as did Cream and her Chao _(whose name is apparently Cheese)_. There was also Bunnie, Antoine, Nicole, Tails, and Sonic.

Sonic told me he brought someone who wanted to meet me. He said she's a good friend and a great Freedom Fighter. The person seemed nice, so I got really excited.

But when she came in, all I felt was dread.

* * *

_**CLIFFHANGER, SUCKAS! You're not gonna know who came in just yet; wait 'till the next chapter.**_

_**Anyways, we meet Cream and her family, encounter old rivals, and get a visit from a mysterious someone.**_

_**NOTE 1: Knuckles does have a Warp Ring. He uses it in the comic books.**_

_**NOTE 2: I have no idea where Cream's home is located, so I settled for a random choice.**_

_**NOTE 3: Cream's father, Cinnamon the Rabbit, is another on-the-spot OC of mine. He probably won't be mentioned from now on.**_

_**SPOILER!: If you think Team Hooligan and the Fearsome Foursome are fierce, you haven't met Bolt's latest enemy...**_


	12. A Pink Problem

**Chapter 12: A Pink Problem**

**I went to a TobyMac concert last night, and it was EPICALLY AWESOME! My ears are still ringing, it was that intense! Warning: The following chapter contains slight character-bashing. Just a little heads-up.**

**Disclaimer: Unë nuk e vetë të hedhura zërit. Ata i përkasin Sega, ekipi i zërit, dhe Archie **_**(Today's language, Albanian)**_**.**

* * *

_He said she's a Freedom Fighter, so what's __**with**__ her?... She's really getting on my nerves, always talking about her "boyfriend"... "As soon as you've recovered, I challenge you to a duel!"... This isn't my best creation, but it __**should**__ be enough... A last-one-standing battle, weapons only... __**Bring it on!**_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

For those who don't remember what happened last time, here's a basic summery:

Me and the Chaotix had recently fought Team Hooligan and the Fearsome Foursome, who kidnapped Cream the Rabbit. The battle was long and hard, but ended in a retreat because I was nearly stabbed. I ended up in Station Square Hospital, getting visits from my friends.

Sonic, who came to see me, said he brought someone with him. He said she's a Freedom Fighter and one of his friends. The person seemed very kind, so I was pretty eager for my next visiter.

But when she came in, all the excitement went down the drain.

* * *

And that brings us to the next chapter.

The person standing in the doorway was a female pygmy-hedgehog about my age. She had emerald-green eyes like Sonic, and was colored a rose-pink. Strangely enough, her quills were pulled down around her face instead of the typical blown-back style, and three bangs stuck out from her forehead.

She wore a green shirt with a white collar, an orange tutu, white gloves, and lilac sneakers with orange laces. A red hairband laid behind her ears.

This girl was the very one from my dreams, where she tried to **kill** me! She sure didn't seem like the murdering type, and her happy-go-lucky voice is proof enough.

"_Hi there! My name's Amelia Rose, but my friends call me 'Amy'. What's your name?"_

"_Uh... It's Bolt..."_

"_Really? That's a weird name, but I've heard weirder!"_

_What, like your __**own**__ name? _I thought.

Amy seemed nice enough - maybe a little **too** nice. She kept asking me stuff like favorite past-times to see if we have anything in common. And for the record, we don't.

Seriously; the only things we both like are chocolate bars and the "Chao in Space" movie series! Other than that, we might as well be oil and water. Let me give an example:

She likes shopping with her friends, trying on new clothes, the color pink, and music from pop singers like "Justin Beaver". I prefer trying new weaponry, pulling pranks on others, the color white, and music from hard rock bands like "Shine-Up". And like many others, the girl was taken aback when I told her I too am a girl.

Like I said, oil and water.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have different thoughts about the other person. Personally, I think Amy's a complete fangirl: ditzy, annoying, color-blind, and only talks about the one they obsess over.

In this case, Sonic the Hedgehog.

She writes fan-mail to Sonic every day, and screeches his name whenever she sees him. Usually, a person would say "hi" if they saw a friend walking through town.

Looking at her now, I wonder what she thinks of me.

* * *

_**[Amy's P.O.V]**_

Two words: totally weird.

I mean, come **on!** What 7-year-old likes "Shine-Up", of all bands? I'd figure she'd listen to the "Forget-Me-Knots" or another band that doesn't play hard rock and swears. And what's with her appearance?

Gray quills spiked like lightning in a blown-back style, 5 bangs stuck on the forehead, dark-gray eyes, and white skin! ? She looked like someone from a black-and-white photo! And she doesn't even have eyelashes, just a black mark on the side of the eyes.

There's also her clothes: white T-shirt, black trench coat that's too big, white sneakers with black soles and gray straps. They were set on the end of the bed, leaving Bolt in a hospital gown.

That girl **definitely** needs a major makeover.

"_Hey Bolt, how about I give you a new look once you're fully healed?"_

"_Forget it. No way you're changing my appearance. I'm fine just the way I am."_

"_But wouldn't you like a look to show you're a girl at first glance?"_

"_Like __**heck**__ I would! I don't __**care**__ if people think I'm a boy, so as long I remain who I am! Why do __**you**__ care so much?"_

"_Come on, I just wanna help my friend!"_

"_Who said we're friends? Oh that's right, NO ONE! You and I are __**way**__ too different. Why not become sworn enemies while we're at it?"_

I could sense the sarcasm in her remark. But her suggestion seemed like a good idea. So here's my response:

"_Really now? Then let's begin that by __**me**__, telling you __**this: You**__ are the most weirdest being who __**ever**__ lived, __**is**__ living, and ever __**will**__ live!"_

"_Oh yeah? Then __**you**__ are the most annoying being who __**ever**__ lived, __**is**__ living, and ever __**will**__ live!"_

"_**ARGH!**__ That's __**it!**__ As soon as you've recovered, I challenge you to a duel! One weapon only, last hedgehog standing wins!"_

"_Done deal, Pinky!"_

And we shook on it. In only 5 minutes time, my future friend became my present rival. What she doesn't know of is the powerful weapon I possess. Besides, what can **she** do?

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

What can **I** do? Plenty.

After Amy declared battle, I begged Knuckles to use Chaos Heal on me. I remember him telling me about it some days ago. Like the name suggests, this method uses Chaos Energy to heal any wounds. And before you ask, it **doesn't** work on cancer.

The process drained a lot of energy, both from Knuckles and the Chaos Emerald. But he said he'd do it if I all his chores for 2 weeks. Totally worth it. My bones fused themselves back in place, leaving me with a small limp. No big deal.

Back on Angel Island, I used my abilities over the earth to search for the materials I needed. I held everything in a large sack, then made my way toward one of Tails' many workshops. He once told me he has several workshops across the planet, including one on Angel Island.

The place was much bigger on the inside than it looked like. The main area was about two stories high, large enough to store a fighter jet. However it was bare at the moment. Around the room were several tables, each piled with tools and smaller gadgets. There was also a separate bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom in case Tails was gonna be there for a while.

I dumped the supplies in the sack onto the floor. At first sight, they were merely dark rocks. But each contained either bits of diamonds or chunks of titanium, the two hardest naturally-occurring solids ever known. Along with this were two blocks of wood, straps of white leather, one of the agency's doorknobs, cans of spray-paint, and one of Sensei's katanas.

Here's what I'm planning: Amy **/** Pinky declared a weapon-only duel. Because my combat knife broke when I fought Rouge, and my teacher won't let me use his weapons, I'm gonna make my own. It'll be a black-and-white lightweight sword modeled after the katana I brought.

I prayed to the gods for the strength and determination I'll need, and for other people - mainly Tails - to not intrude, 'cause this'll take a while.

* * *

_Tons of hours and a well-deserved nap later..._

It took the better part of a day, but at long last my work is complete!

I held the weapon in my bruised and paint-covered hands. The wooden handle was long enough for two hands to grasp it. It was painted white and covered in the leather straps. On one end was the doorknob painted gray, acting as a pommel. The matching cross-guard was in the shape of a circle when looked at from above. The blade was forged from titanium and lined with tiny yet sharp diamonds, and was painted black.

The whole thing looked like a cross between a katana and a medieval sword. Not bad for my first and last time.

However, there was one small detail.

I must have been distracted during the forging state, 'cause the blade was bent out of shape! It was all zig-zagged, like a lightning bolt a little kid might draw.

...Hey, that's **it!** Why call this a "mistake" when it can be the weapon's "uniqueness"? Brilliant!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't **wait** to see that rosy rascal tomorrow!

* * *

_The next day..._

The two of us agreed to have our duel at the New Mobotropolis Coliseum, and to arrive at **exactly** high noon. My sword was sharpened, and I was pumped up and ready to win!

So where on Mobius is she! ?

I ended up pacing around the entire building twice just to kill some time. That got boring, so I went back inside and began to count the grass. I got around 385 before I heard a shrill voice.

"_Glad you could make it, __**weirdo.**__"_

"_Same to you, __**Pinky.**__"_

At the entrance stood Amy Rose, a cold and angry expression on her face. She walked toward the center of the coliseum, standing a few feet away from me. That's when I noticed something.

"_Hey, where's your weapon?"_

The pink girl held out her right hand, and through a puff of smoke came a large object. It was a hammer, but unlike any I've ever seen. The handle was painted yellow, and grew wider as it got longer. The head was shaped like a soup can, and was red with a white stripe on the sides. Part of the handle came out of the top. The ends were also colored yellow, and were a bit bigger than the head.

"_Say 'hello' to the Piko-Piko Hammer! Let's __**do**__ this!"_

"_Bring it __**on!**__"_

* * *

_**[Amy's P.O.V]**_

Hammer and sword collided in a blur of colors. The force was strong to the point where I jumped back to regain strength. I tried to strike again, but Bolt blocked the attack with her weapon. What **is** that sword made of! ?

I swung away, hoping I'd land a blow. Each effort was useless. No matter what direction the Piko-Piko came from, it was swatted away like a fly.

She slashed at me and I fell back, the blade an inch from my face. I could hear the metallic 'swoosh' all too clear. The sharp attacks kept coming, and I blocked them all with my hammer.

But it came at a price. My beloved Piko-Piko had sword marks all over the side of the head!

"_**ARGH!**__ YOU'LL __**PAY**__ FOR THAT!"_

A process kept going: one would attack the other, then vise versa, then repeat. It was getting us nowhere near close to an absolute winner. After 10 minutes of this, we gave up.

_***huff huff***__ "Truce?"_

"_Yeah, __***huff***__ sure..."_

We shook on it - or so I thought.

_**BRZZZZZZZZZZT!**__ "GaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAh!"_

"_Ha __**ha!**__ You fell for it! Sorry Pinky, but __**this**__ hedgehog ain't down and out yet."_

That was the last thing I heard before fainting.

* * *

_**CLIFFHANGER! ...sort of. In all honesty, would someone blacking out count as a cliffhanger? I don't know...**_

_**New rival, new weapon, new way to make a painful losing funny, and more will come soon! Also, I'm not trying to offend the fangirls of the world, mostly because I too am a fangirl, but a more sane, self-controlled, and not-colorblind one.**_

_**B.T.W, I personally think Amy's real and full name is "Amelia Priscilla Rosalyn", but that's just me.**_

_**NOTE 1: Amy's 7-year-old look in this story combines her current hair style with her classic clothes. Normally, I'd have her completely look like Classic Amy. But Classic Amy and Anti-Amy / Rosy look exactly alike, and I'm not gonna confuse anyone or start riots.**_

_**NOTE 2: "Justin Beaver" and "Shine-Up" and parodies of "Justin Beiber" and "Shinedown", and I don't own them.**_

_**NOTE 3: Bolt said she couldn't wait for the "rosy rascal". This is a pun on Amy's old nickname, Rosy the Rascal.**_

_**NOTE 4: The design of the Piko-Piko Hammer in the fight I created myself, yet I don't own the actual weapon.**_

_**SPOILER!: Let's get a better look at the back-rounds of Bolt's friends...**_


	13. Life Changing Moments

**Chapter 13: Life-Changing Moments**

**Before starting, I've got an announcement. The hell on Earth we teenagers know as "high school" has started for me today! As such, updates will be less frequent. Though I can guarantee 1 chapter every month; kill me if I don't.**

**Also, give a shout-out to my dad and older bro, 'cause it was their birthdays yesterday! **_**(Yes, it's possible for 2 relatives to share the same birth date. DON'T JUDGE THE CYCLE OF LIFE!)**_

**Azatum pataskhanatvut'yunits': Yes ch'yem patkanum ayn Sonic metsamasnut'yamb. Patkanum yen SEGA Sonic , t'imy, yev Archie **_**(Armenian for today)**_**.**

* * *

_A V.I.P tour of the city; talk about awesome!... He sacrificed his own body just to keep his son alive... What an amazing past; I wonder if my friend's lives were like that... Hopefully she won't mind letting me use her for research... Escaping from Downunda, imprisonment, losing his own kind, destroying his own mentor... The entire kingdom went up in flames? And he was the only survivor. Who would dare do such a thing! ?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

_Last time..._

_The duel seemed to go on for eternity, getting us nowhere close to an absolute victor. After a few more pointless minutes, my opponent, Amy Rose, stretched out her hand._

***huff*** "Truce?"

"Yeah, ***huff*** sure."

_Our hands made contact, and we shook on it - or at least __**tried**__ to. Why?_

**BRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!** "GaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAh!"

"Ha **ha!** You fell for it! Sorry Pinky, but **this** hedgehog ain't down and out just yet!"

_Yep, __**that's**__ why. _

* * *

And that brings us to right now.

Amy collapsed face-first into the grass, unconscious. The whole time I was howling with laughter. She actually **fell** for the granddaddy of pranks: the joy-buzzer! Here's the best part; because electricity comes from within me, I'm practically a walking and talking joy-buzzer! Quite the **shocker**, wouldn't you say? _(Bad joke alert!)_

I strolled out the New Mobotropolis Coliseum, feeling on top of the world.

"_Hey Bolt, what brings you here?"_

Then I felt like I'm in the pits.

Sitting on a nearby park bench was Sonic the Hedgehog, **A.K.A** Amy's friend! If he finds out what's going on between me and her, I'll be digging my own grave!

"_Uh... Hi Sonic. I'm just... uh... checking out the city, getting familiar with it, and stuff like that..."_

"_Really? Well, how's about Yours Truly gives you the grand tour? I've got plenty of free time anyway, and I'm getting bored."_

"_Well, I'm in if you are!"_

"_Way past cool! Then let's do it to it!"_

Sonic grabbed my hand, and took off without warning. I remember Tails telling me the blue hedgehog is the fastest thing who ever lived, is living, and ever will live. I don't doubt the fox one bit. For crying out loud, my face felt like it would peel off any second!

After what felt like ages, Sonic finally slowed down. While catching my breath, I saw we were at a lake. It sat near the edge of the woods, and was shaded by a large tree.

"_This is the Lake of Rings. As the name implies, it can create Power Rings, natural bi-products of Chaos Emeralds with only a fragment of the gems' energy. The lake makes one ring per day, and they disappear if no one grabs them."_

As if on cue, a bright light emitted from the lake. From the waters rose a golden ring, about the size of a sheet of paper. It was suspended in the air, waiting for someone to take it. I reached out and grabbed the ring, starring at its beauty.

I've seen plenty of rings before; Knuckles' Warp Ring, the wedding rings my parents wore, those cheap mood rings, and of course the coin-sized Money Rings everyone uses for spending. But never in my life have I heard of a Power Ring - until now.

I stored the object into my trench-coat pocket, and the tour continued. We passed by Castle Acorn, the Civic Center, and other places. Out last stop took us on the other side of the city, where a small building stood.

It was a one-story yellow-brick building, with plants on the roof and floor-to-ceiling windows. Three tables with chairs and umbrellas stood outside. A sign on the roof had the words "Uncle Chuck's Diner". Sonic walked inside, and I followed.

The interior screamed "retro diner". Red-and-white checkered floors, metal tables, leather seats, jut-box in the corner playing old dance music. There was a sign at the entrance saying "Seat Yourself", so me and Sonic grabbed two seats at the bar-like section. The employees seemed to notice us, and they came out. There were three in total.

One of the workers handed us menus. He was a robot modeled after a hedgehog. The whites of his eyes were black, and the eyes themselves were blood-red. He had a metallic muzzle and pointed nose colored silver. The hands, arms, legs, and tuff of hair were also a silver color. Everything else was a shiny blue. It was hard to determine his age due to...well, everything about him.

Another employee came out of the kitchen. Unlike the other worker, this person was 100% hedgehog. He had blue fur, chocolate-brown eyes, and a white mustache with matching eyebrows. He wore a brown vest jacket, brown boots, white gloves, and wire-frame glasses. I'm guessing the hedgehog's in his late 60s **/** early 70s.

The last person was a female hedgehog with sky-blue eyes and a tuff of blond hair. Her fur - unlike the others - was colored violet. She wore a purple sleeveless dress, matching shoes with a slight heel, and white gloves that reached to her elbows. She must have been in her mid 40s.

Despite my urge to not seem rude, I couldn't help but stare at the robot. The last time I saw such an advanced robot was when I lived with Mr. Ovi. Sonic noticed my stares, so he broke the awkward silence with introductions.

_***ahem***__ "Bolt, meet my family. The mustached one is my uncle Charles, though I call him Chuck, the robot's my dad Jules, and the woman is my mom Bernadette, though some call her Bernie. Mom, Dad, Uncle Chuck, this here's my friend Bolt."_

Apparently, Sonic told them about me being in the hospital, because they were more than eager to meet me. That, and lunch was on the house. Can you say "awesome"? Both me and him ordered four Chili-Dogs and two Mint Milkshakes to split. His family whipped up the Kooky Cookies and Pie for all five of us to split.

During that, several questions and answers were passed around. Mrs. Bernie asked if I was alright with my injuries. Uncle Chuck - he insisted I call him that - was very interested with my sword, asking how and what it was made of. I had to demonstrate my hand-to-hand combat for Mr. Jules, who asked how well I am on the battlefield.

After that, it was my turn to ask. I only had one question: How is Mr. Jules a robot?

He said, _"It's quite the long story, but I'll tell you"_.

* * *

I was lost in the tale for the next hour. It seems he was shot in his younger days when he was an actual Mobian, and being turned into a robot was his only chance for survival. However, Mr. Jules lost his free will and might as well have been a mindless drone. Not only that, something took him over and he turned his wife into a robot.

Years later, Mr. Jules' free will returned, as did Mrs. Bernie. Some time after that, alien technology helped everyone who were robots - except Mr. Jules. His war wounds were only delayed when he became a robot. Should he return to normal, the injuries will return and kill him.

That's why he remained the way he is now; if Mr. Jules wishes to live, he has to spend the rest of his life as a machine. There are some perks, though. For starters, he still has his hand-to-hand combat skills. And being a robot has increased his strength a hundred-fold.

It was such an incredible and heart-touching tale. After saying "good-bye" and exiting the diner, I began to wonder if everyone else had mysterious pasts. And I wanted to find out!

Good thing Sonic told me about Freedom HQ.

* * *

It took a while to get to my destination, but I finally arrived. Heavy defenses were expected from the base, all of them dodged with nothing more than a slight burn from the lasers.

The place was smaller than I anticipated, but it made it easier to find the lab. The lab in question was quite big. Gray metallic tiles covered the floor, and the walls were also metal. Several computers lined up against the wall. In the back were two poles, side-by-side. They were red-and-yellow, with a star mark at the top. But those weren't the reason I'm here.

Standing in front of the main computer, I began to hunt down the information I'm looking for. The database had profiles on every being who ever lived and is living!

It took some time to find the ones I needed. Mostly because I was looking at other profiles, and writing down Amy's fears and secrets. Talk about blackmail!

After that, I found a folder containing all the recorded information on the Chaotix Detective Agency. What I read was - to say the least - interesting.

* * *

Vector was hatched in Downunda, not knowing his parents. He ran along with other orphans, had some laughs, blah blah blah... Unlike the others, however, the crocodile's only wish was to leave the continent and explore the world. So he built a gyrocopter and escaped, along with a few others who wanted to leave. To hide his origins, Vector adopted a "street-lingo" accent.

Mighty was born in Mercia to a family of robbers, both him and his younger sister oblivious of the thieving ways. When his parents were sent to prison, he was determined to break them out. So he gained his super-strength from an ancient Mobian called Mammoth Mogul, yet it wasn't enough and the armadillo was exiled. Some time after, Mighty was captured and taken to a labor camp, along with Ray and a girl named Fiona Fox. Sonic freed them, Mighty met Knuckles, and the rest is history.

Before Knuckles was born, his father - Locke - performed experiments on both himself and a not-yet-hatched egg that held his son, all to create the ultimate Guardian. Results were a success when Knuckles showed an IQ that far surpassed his age, and began learning college lessons at age three. He learned how to be a Guardian when he was eight, and met Sally Acorn during that time, though it was short-lived. Two years later, Locke left for the Forbidden Zone, knowing his son was ready. Knuckles became a loner until meeting the future Chaotix.

There's nothing known about Ray's personal life or if he had a family. The excitement truly began when he was captured and taken to a labor camp, where he met Mighty. After Sonic rescued them, the squirrel grabbed a strange gem and got trapped in a different zone where time moves faster. Six years later, Mighty and Fiona returned to the now-abandoned camp along with Nic the Weasel, Nack's twin sister. They found Ray there, still holding the gem and thinking only hours had gone by. Nic destroyed the gem, and Ray joined the Chaotix.

Like the squirrel, there's not much about Sensei Espio's childhood. The only interesting part is one of the most recent; his mentor - Valdez - had been turned into a robot, and kidnapped the inhabitants of Rainbow Valley. The robot used threats and extortion to get Sensei to join forces. Sensei had no choice but to trick and destroy his old mentor, deciding they were friends no more.

Though this all fascinated me, none were more intense than the youngest member's short past: Charmy Bee.

He was born in the Golden Hive Colony, one of the most beautiful kingdoms on Mobius that no longer exists _(reasons why will come soon)_. Not only that, but Charmy is the only child of the king and queen! Yes, you heard right, he's a **prince!** He even had a **fiancée** before he could walk! But the good life was short-lived.

On Charmy's second birthday, the kingdom was attacked by an unknown force. During the battle, Queen Buttercup took her son and left him at the nearest home. That happened to be the Chaotix Agency. The queen headed back to her crumbling kingdom to help fight back, but the effort was futile. The Golden Hive Colony was reduced to ruins and no one survived.

Or so they thought.

Charmy was left on the agency's doorstep, waiting to be taken in. He could hear his kingdom fall, and he cried for his parents. Those cries woke up the detectives, who let the bee live there.

By the time I finished reading, I was left standing in utter shock. My little brother is **royalty! ?** While I find it pretty awesome _('cause when you think about it I would technically be a princess)_, it's also quite disturbing.

What whacked-up brain-dead psychopath sicko goes off and kills an entire kingdom with no remorse whatsoever! ? Obviously, the work of the devil!

Better watch your back, murderer. 'Cause when I find you, you're getting the beating of a lifetime and **then** some!

* * *

_**Finally, I'm done! And if you haven't read the author's note at the beginning **_**(you know who you are)**_**, I have started school today. So updates will be quite slow 'cause of biology, algebra, history, English, and other crap that I can't mention 'cause I'll be offending your beliefs. Also, no chapter summery 'cause I'm tired.**_

_**NOTE 1: Those food items really are part of the diner's menu. Don't believe me, go to the Internet.**_

_**NOTE 2: The characters' pasts are real - except for Charmy's, which was only half-true. He **_**is**_** a prince, he **_**did**_** have a fiancée, his kingdom **_**was**_** destroyed, and blah blah blah...**_

_**NOTE 3: No one really knows what Charmy's mom's name is, so I took a few creative liberties.**_

_**No spoiler for the next chapter 'cause I'm still thinking out the idea. But I can tell you it'll take place a few years later from the events of the chapter you just read. So be patient, 'k?**_


	14. Shadowy Shockers

**Chapter 14: Shadowy Shockers**

**Ok, how many weeks has it been? Two? Three? Who freakin' cares! ? I'm finally back, and dang it feels great! School's been a hassle, hence the reason I haven't been on for a while. But I found time today, so HALLELUJAH!**

**Disclaimer: Mən Sonic cast malik deyil. Onlar Sega, Sonic Komanda və Archie məxsusdur **_**(Azerbaijani)**_**.**

* * *

_So much has happened over the years... A part-time job offer I just can't refuse, a chance to protect the innocent... First mission: find the object, place the camera, get out of there, and don't be seen at all times... Who's coming? He seems familiar... The object - it's a hedgehog! ?... "Bring me the seven Chaos Emeralds"... That man who released him; is he...?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

Some time had gone by since I found out more about my team-mates. I erased all evidence of my appearance in Freedom HQ, but the information I found had settled permanently in my head.

Aside from that, life's been... interesting, to say the least. I'm currently a brown belt in my ninjutsu classes, and I still have a-ways to go. The rivalry between me and Amy Rose _(though I call her "Pinky")_ is still going strong. Sonic eventually found out about that after me and her got in a fight in New Mobotropolis.

There was also a recent attack in Station Square, something about a water-like monster flooding the city. I was taking a vacation in Apotos, so I didn't get all the little details. But I did hear Angel Island fell out of the sky before the attack, which meant plenty of home-repairs! Other than that, life goes on smoothly.

Not for long, though.

* * *

_Three years after the Freedom HQ break-in _(last chapter)_..._

"_Hang on a sec, you want me to work here? Is that why you guys were so intent on finding me 5 years ago?"_

"_That's one way of putting it."_

I was currently in G.U.N's headquarters, having a private meeting with the chief commander, Abraham Tower. He was a human male with stern looks, gray hair, and a stooping nose that had to be broken. The man's left eye is a dark-green, while the right is wood-brown. He wore black shoes and a dark-gray uniform with a red-and-blue sash, and various markings on the shoulders, wrists, and pants of the outfit. He had to be in his late 50s.

"_We know you're determined on finding the one who caused the explosion that killed your family. And we can help you with your mystery. Should you join us and pass the test, we'll do everything we can to find more information on the incident. Along with receiving a monthly pay for your efforts on the missions. How does that sound?"_

"_...Sir, in the past 5 years, I've changed both physically and mentally,"_

That part was true. I've grown an inch or two in height, and my quills and bangs have gotten longer. My clothes were a white T-shirt, black pants, and dark-gray gloves that reached to my elbows. I still wore my white sneakers with the gray straps and black soles. My voice was a bit deeper as well.

"_And over that time, my objectives in life have also changed. Though I still wish to find my parents' murderer, it's more of a hobby if anything. Now, I just want to protect my team-mates. It's the least I can do after what they've done for me._

"_I can solve my mystery on my own, and I don't need a full-time job here. However, I'll go on the missions that no one else accepts. Does that sound fair to you, sir?"_

"_Very well. You'll be a part-time agent sent on our dimensional missions, and well as missions where all personal must engage. The pay you get will vary on how well you've done over the month. Before sending you on an actual mission, we have to prove your worth."  
_

* * *

_One hour later..._

Me, Commander Tower, and a few other troops were riding in a helicopter high above a place called Prison Island. Strangely enough, the island was shaped like a guitar, the "neck" and "head" being the entrance. The rest of the island had a large, low building with lookout towers on every corner. Security guards were everywhere, keeping an eye on all who entered the building.

The helicopter landed at the end of the island, and the passengers evacuated. The commander explained the test to me.

* * *

**Summery:** G.U.N has been informed of an upcoming attack on Prison Island. The enemy will strike in one of the restricted areas, where a dangerous weapon is held. Because Prison Island is run by G.U.N troops, they allowed the test to take place there.

**1st Part: **Sneak into the prison without getting caught.

**2nd Part:** Avoid anything that will set off the alarms.

**3rd Part:** Break into the restricted area and find the weapon.

**4th Part:** Set up a hidden camera near the weapon.

**5th Part:** Take out the enemy if needed.

**6th Part:** Escape Prison Island.

**Notes:** Though the prison staff are aware of the test, they have to make it seem real, thus they won't severely injure me. The enemy is not aware of the test, and will try to kill me for real.

_**MISSION BEGIN!**_

* * *

Getting into the prison way too easy. All I did was become the earth itself, and slide past the guards. This process didn't work when I hit metallic ground.

Several infrared lasers crisscrossed the hallways, each hooked to the alarms. For this part, I threw on a ski mask so my quills and bangs wouldn't get in the way. The loose ends of my shirt and pants were tied tightly. Using the defensive skills I learned from my "sensei", each laser was evaded.

Security cameras lined the walls in the next hallway. I noticed each one automatically moved side-to-side, making the area under the cameras their blind spots. I moved from each blind spot to the next as fast as I could.

The door between me and the weapon stood tall and proud before me. There was a fingerprint lock, the kind of lock you see on a safe, a passcode lock, and a key lock.

Using some ground-up dirt to expose the latest fingerprint, I pressed my gloved thumb against the lock, which accepted the print.

I pressed my ear against the safe lock, carefully listening to the clicks. Eventually, it was cracked.

The ground-up dirt came in handy again for the passcode lock, showing fingerprints on the correct numbers. Of course the code would be 0-0-0-0!

For the key lock, I used my powers over the earth and water to make mud. This was inserted into the key lock, leaving a part of it outside for a handle. Using fire to harden the mud, I turned the makeshift key and heard a small click. Perfect!

The door lead to a small and quite crowded chamber. In the center was a large canister, with tons of wires and tubes hooking it to a large power-source of sorts. I tried to see what was inside the canister, but the glass was fogged up. While setting up the portable camera-

_**BANG BOOM CRASH!**_

-my heart nearly stopped.

Panicking, I hid behind the canister's left side, and tried to stay hidden. The sounds of a huge machine pierced my ears, and clouds of smoke made it hard to breath. A scratchy voice muttered something while punching away at buttons.

I snuck a quick look at the intruder, but all I caught was a dark silhouette. It's owner was tall and - let's face it - quite round; probably a human or something.

A hissing sound filled the air, and the canister opened, releasing more smoke. From the container rose a single being. I could only see a faint outline, but I knew the being was a Mobian due to it's shape. They leapt out of the canister, and landed near the chamber's entrance. The hallway's light revealed their features.

The being was a male hedgehog about 20 years old, with black fur, blood-red eyes, and tan skin. The quills on the side of his head were turned upright, while the top ones laid downward. Red marks were on his arms, legs, quills, and around the eyes. A tuff of white fur rested below his neck. The hedgehog wore white gloves, and black-and-white shoes with thick red soles. Around his wrists and ankles were gold rings much like Amy's, but these had a red patch and black band.

All in all, this dude radiated toughness! His voice was further proof, as it was deep and serious.

"_I am the Ultimate Life-form, Shadow the Hedgehog. For releasing me, I shall grant you one wish."_

_What is this guy, a genie?_I thought.

The scratchy voice spoke again, but I can clearly hear him this time.

"_You must be this dangerous weapon my grandfather created. Very well then; I only wish to avenge the one I lost long ago by taking over this planet."_

That voice...

Is it really...?

I looked at the duo escape the chamber. The tall one was turned away from me, but I caught sight of a red jacket, black boots, silver goggles on a bald head, and an auburn mustache.

**DEAR CHAOS, IT **_**IS**_** HIM!**

All my self-control was put into keeping myself from rushing out to the tall man. He's still alive! After 4 long years, he's standing right in front of me! I could feel my hands gripped the glass covering to the point where it shattered.

My first mistake.

The glass shards clanked against the metal floor, their sound bringing me back to reality. I realized what I did, and quickly hid. Just in time, too.

"_Chaos Spear!"_

_**BOOOOOOOM!**_

The canister exploded by a beam of light, and I was thrown against the back wall. They hadn't noticed me and walked away, which is both good and bad.

Good, because they could've mistaken me for a spy or something, and then hold me prisoner.

Bad, because I'm in need of medical assistance and I can't get up on my own.

So I laid there for who-knows-how-long, the sounds of the alarm blocking my ears. Security guards arrived and I passed out, knowing I was safe for now.

* * *

_The dream went something like this: _

_I was standing on a raised platform in the New Mobotropolis Coliseum, the stands packed with Mobians and humans alike. Their yells and screams filled my ears._

"Keep away from him!"

"The guy's pure evil!"

"Why would you trust him! ?"

"He's poisoning your mind!"

"He'll **kill** you!"

_Several of them held signs showing the face of Mr. Ovi. But they're lying; I know he's not evil, and he'll never kill me. I tried to reason with the crowd, but the protests kept coming, and I couldn't block them out._

_...shut up..._

_**...shut up...**_

_**...SHUT UP!**_

"**AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"**

_I don't know what came over me, but I began to attack the crowd. Men, women, children, it didn't matter. They lie! All of them! They accuse Mr. Ovi of such false accusations!_

_**They deserve to die...**_

* * *

"_...Wake up!"_

"_YAH!"_

_**THUD!**_

I came in contact with the floor, and quickly stood up. I was back in the Chaotix Detective Agency on Angel Island. The one who woke me flew around my head.

"_Yippee! You're not dead! We can still play video games and explore the island and pull pranks and eat candy and ice cream 'till we're stuffed and-"_

"_**OK!**__ That's enough, Charmy."_

Charmy Bee - who I see as a little brother - has grown over the three years. His antennae, stinger, and wings have gotten bigger. He now wears his old helmet and goggles, white gloves, an orange zip-up vest-jacket with a bee symbol, black bands around the wrists and ankles, and orange sneakers with white soles and a yellow mark. His energy and hyper-ness far surpass his 5-year-old body, but those are qualities that make him who he is.

And you know what? I'm just fine with that.

"_Hey dude. Sorry for snappin' at you like that."_

"_That's ok, sis. I can never be mad at you, no matter what you do."_

Hearing that after a dream where I attacked everyone... I never felt happier in my life.

"_By the way, some army guys called. They said you passed the test, or something like that."_

Correction: **Now** I never felt happier in my life.

"_**YES! I'M IN, I'M ACTUALLY IN!"**_

"_Uh... are you alright?"_

"_Never better, bro! Never better..."_

* * *

_**At long last, I've finished! Good thing, too; I'm getting tired. Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to all of Shadow's diehard fangirls, as the Ultimate Life-form makes his appearance in my story! So go wild.**_

**Shadow fangirls:**_** *high-pitched squeal* WHEE LUV U, SHADOUGH! HAV R BABYZ! **_

**Shadow:**_** OH MY CHAOS I'M GONNA DIE! *runs like heck***_

**Me:**_** BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm evil. XP**_

_**NOTE 1: The "water-like monster" was Perfect Chaos. So over the three years, the events in "Sonic Adventure 1" took place.**_

_**NOTE 2: Apotos is a Greece-like town from "Sonic Unleashed".**_

_**NOTE 3: The Prison Island I used is from "Sonic X". Hence why it's guitar-shaped.**_

_**SPOILER: Time to find out about the tall mystery figure! But we'll need an alias for that...**_


	15. Disguised Surprise Part 1

**Chapter 15: Disguised Surprise Part 1**

**Yes, I know it's been forever and a half since I last updated! But I'm sure everyone in high school can relate... right? **

_***gets no response other than cricket chirps***_

**Man, you guys suck! **_**(I really don't mean that)**_

**Legezko oharra: ez dut cast Sonic jabea. Sega, Sonic Team, eta Archie kide dira **_**(Basque)**_**.**

* * *

_He's back, he's really alive; but does he know I'm still living? Does he even __**remember**__ me?... 'Stay here and don't leave,' he says... With these, surely no one will recognize me... __"I'm your worst nightmare; pleasure to meet ya."__... Like __**heck**__ I'd let her hurt them!... I've __**wasted**__ enough time! Where's the one I'm __**looking**__ for! ?... That metallic beast; is that really...?_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

About a month or so had gone by since G.U.N let me join them. Over that time, a spaceship nearly crashed into Mobius, Sonic was accused of stealing, **and** I discovered my great-great-great-great grandfather was a **chameleon**. Yes, you heard right; my dad's side of the family is part-mammal-part-reptile!

Because of this, I wanted to find out if I can turn invisible. After a half-hour of concentration, my body vanished - but only for a few seconds. Still, I kept practicing, and now I can disappear from view for 5 minutes at a time.

I've also been trying to locate the tall mystery man I saw at Prison Island. I'd sneak back into Freedom HQ if I could, but security there got more advanced. A month of progress and I came up with... **Nothing. At. All!**

But today, that's all gonna change...

* * *

_***... ... ... ...bbbuuuuzzzzzz***__ "Hmm?"_

_**BANG!**__ "IT'S HERE, YEAH!"_

The echoes of a crash collision and a surprised yelp from a certain crocodile filled my ears, snapping me out of my nap. I frantically scanned the small office: Charmy hopping off of Vector's stomach, a package flying in the air nearly hitting the ceiling fan, Sensei Espio pinning said package to the wall using a throwing-knife, and Vector gathering his senses - along with his headphones, still blaring music on high volume.

Yep, nothing out of the ordinary.

Sliding off one of the several boxes I had slept on, I listened to the commotion of the fellow detectives.

"_What is __**wrong**__ with you, Charmy! ?"_

"_It's here, it's here! We've got __**work!**__"_

"_HUH! ?"_

The package - pinned right above the crocodile - opened up, dropping a red-and-yellow walkie-talkie in his large hands. The small machine crackled to life, emitting a scratchy and slightly-high voice.

_***bzzzzt***__ "I've heard good things about your services, and I request your help. Succeed, and I'll pay handsomely."_

I could practically view the dollar signs in Charmy and Vector's eyes. That got me a tad suspicious; Sensei Espio felt the same, as he rose from the open locker he was meditating in.

"_I got a bad feeling about this, you guys."_

"_Ah, that's nonsense! Besides, you know the Chaotix Policy: We never turn down work that pays. Let's get going, boys!"_

I watched as the 21-year-old crocodile raced out the agency, along with the young bee. My teacher, now at age 16, told me to stay here and hold fort before he rushed off with the others.

Hmm... Knuckles had gone off with Tails on the Tornado _(the fox's blue bi-plane)_ to find Sonic, something about a letter. It was Mighty and Ray's turn to guard the Master Emerald for the week, so I can't do anything with them.

And that leaves Option #3...

Grabbing my cloak, family photo, some money, and a bag of potato chips, I headed out toward Tails' Angel Island workshop. I passed the Master Emerald Shrine on the way, spying both the 16-year-old armadillo and the 11-year-old squirrel taking a nap. I couldn't help but giggle at Ray's position on top of the large gem.

Stepping inside the large workshop, I searched throughout the pile of gadgets to find what I'll need for my mission. One unneeded mechanism caught my eye: it was a pair of goggles with dials on each side. The left dial had a bunch of names, while the right dial listed different time settings. The wearer can see what the person of their choice is doing, was doing, or will do by adjusting the dials.

Curiosity won me over, so I set the goggles to let me see what Sonic was doing right now.

* * *

_**[Through Sonic's Eyes]**_

_This gadget is __**awesome!**__ I can see everything Sonic is seeing right now, like I was __**in his mind.**__ It reminded me of the first-person-shooter video games I played, but this experience was __**way**__ more realistic._

_It seems Sonic was in the desert, running along the sand and rock formations at top speed. He glanced to his right, spying Tails and Knuckles in the Tornado. Too bad the goggles don't provide sound._

_Tails handed Sonic a letter, which he began to read:_

"Hello, hedgehog and his friends. I've created the ultimate weapon to take over the world, and I'm unleashing it in 3 days time. I dare you to try and stop me, Sonic Heroes!"

_That got their attention, 'cause the blue hedgehog then grabbed the fox and echidna by the hands and ran faster than ever. I had to take off the goggles 'cause the sights were making me dizzy._

* * *

_**[Through Rouge's Eyes]**_

_Turning the name dial, I began to see what Rouge the Bat was seeing. She jumped down from an air duct, landing in front of a locked door in a dimly-lit hallway. _

_I faintly saw the jewel thief's reflection on the door. The white bat - now 16 years old - wore a dark-violet stealth suit, matching boots, and a belt with a heart-shaped buckle. She still had her arm-length gloves and makeup._

_Rouge punched in a code unlocking the door, and she stepped inside. The chamber was circular in shape, with several crates shoved in the back. In the very center was a silver-and-red pod holding a green liquid and a figure that was hard to make out. _

_When the bat opened the pod via password, the last person I expected to see opened his eyes._

_**Shadow...**_

_That __**can't**__ be! Tails told me himself that Shadow died falling from space last month! No __**way**__ could the black hedgehog had survived!_

_I snapped out of my thoughts when I saw a series of explosions. Through Rouge's sight I spied a large robot. He was red-and-black with some yellow here and there. His "eyes" were a bright-red against a deep-black, and a yellow "Ω" symbol was on his shoulder. In place of his hands were machine guns, firing multiple rounds at Shadow._

_Right before the hedgehog and robot collided with the other, Rouge flew between them and halted their charge. That was when I got bored and changed the settings one last time._

* * *

_**[Through Amy's Eyes]**_

_My old nemesis, eternal rival, and #1 annoyance in my life, Amy Rose __**A.K.A**__ Pinky, was at the beach today. Like Rouge, her appearance has changed. At 10 years old, Amy wore a sleeveless red dress with white trim and a wide skirt, white gloves with gold wrist-rings, and knee-high red-and-white boots._

_She sat at the edge of the pier, staring at a black-and-white newspaper photo. It shows a blur that resembled Sonic holding a frog and a Chao. Strange... He didn't have those with him in the desert..._

_A gust of strong wind snagged the picture from Pinky's grasp, soon caught by 2 small figures known as Cream the Rabbit and her Chao friend Cheese._

_Cream, now a 5-year-old, had changed her clothes. She wore a sleeveless orange dress with a white collar and a blue ribbon, white gloves with gold cufflinks, and orange-and-yellow shoes. Cheese still wore his red bow-tie._

_Another breeze arrived, blowing the rabbit and Chao behind. They landed in the hands of an indigo-colored cat. He had a large body, long ears, and even longer arms. He wore tan gloves, a brown belt with a gold buckle, and matching sandals. In one hand was a fishing pole, while the other had a wooden umbrella, like the ones from the Dragon Kingdom._

_When they all gathered on the pier, I shut off the goggles._

* * *

_**[Back in Reality]**_

Even though I heard nothing from all 3 groups, I just **knew** an adventure awaited for them. Maybe they'd see each other during then, who knows.

Rummaging through the mechanisms once more, I finally found what I needed. Time for a little adventure of my own.

* * *

_**[Charmy's P.O.V]**_

_At the HEXAeco Power Plant in Grand Metropolis..._

Kick, punch, dodge, roll, run, fly, block, repeat.

It's been like this for who-knows-**how**-long! All because of a small misunderstanding! And I can't keep it up for much longer, either. Fighting a bat with expert flight skills can **really** drain your energy.

Espio can't help, 'cause he's fighting that black hedgehog guy. And Vector's up against the big robot, so he can't help me either. Which means I'm all alone battling the bat lady!

Then, **this** happened.

_***BZZZZZZZZZT!* **__"AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH!"_

The bat, hedgehog, and robot were being electrocuted! Talk about a light show!

Me and the others stood back, watching our opponents get fried alive. The electricity stopped, leaving them unconscious. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure standing on the power plant's roof.

The being was a Mobian tiger with cobalt-blue fur and black stripes. I couldn't see their face 'cause they wore a black hooded cloak, hiding their looks. I noticed they wore a black watch, a long navy-blue scarf, and matching combat-boots. I was the first to oppose them.

"_Hey, tiger person! Who are you?"_

"_...Call me Phosphorus..."_

And the tiger fled.

Seems our mystery savior's a girl, due to the high-pitched voice. I didn't know why she saved us or how she knew we were here in the first place, but I silently prayed to the gods to protect her on her travels.

Wherever you are, thank you.

* * *

_**[Phosphorus' P.O.V]**_

I managed to save them, but that was **too** close. Not only that, I've wasted far too much time in assisting those boys, and the one I'm pursuing after got away!

I can no longer afford any more delays. I **have** to find him, at all costs! That man is the key to all my questions, and I can't - I **won't** lose him again!

* * *

_**[Dr. Eggman's P.O.V]**_

_3 days later, on the Final Fortress..._

Who'd have thought multiple stings from a 5-year-old Mobian bee would become so **painful! ?**

Guess that detective trio aren't **such** idiots...

"_...Hey, dude. You alive?"_

I slowly looked up, and there stood a cloaked figure about half my height. A Mobian, perhaps?

Suspicions were confirmed when the being pulled back the hood. It was a blue-and-black female tiger, with a white muzzle and bright-yellow eyes. Part of her fur was pulled back in a small ponytail, and each ear was pierced 3 times.

"_I suggest you step outside and help stop the upcoming doom."_

"_What do you mean by that?"_

"_I mean exactly what I say."_

Those were her final words before turning on her heel and leaving the cell, pulling on the hood to hide her features.

Following the tiger, I began to notice the heavy rain and flashes of lightning. At the center of the Final Fortress were 4 teams of Mobians, one of them being the detective trio. They all looked at the top of the control tower.

There stood Metal Sonic - well, now he'd be Neo Metal Sonic. His "eyes" were still a bright-red against black, his torso still had the rocket engine, and his shoes were the same. But now, his "quills" were longer and had white arrow-like streaks. He wore black shoulder plates, a spiked belt, and leg armor with pointed knee-caps. A black cap finished the new look.

Raising his hand into the air, a bolt of electricity shot upward. Scrap metal and broken machinery flung toward my creation, as if he was a **magnet.** It formed around him, creating a new and terrifying body.

The being known as **Metal Madness.**

* * *

_**[Phosphorus' P.O.V]**_

Never in my life have I been this frightened.

The new being resembled a blue metallic dragon, it's red eyes vertically lined. It had no legs - just thick cables attached to the Final Fortress. It's left hand was made of long, thin claws. In place of the right hand was what had to be the world's **biggest** flamethrower! _(I'll admit, I find that totally awesome)_

The 4 teams told me and the doctor to stay back, and I had no objections. It was after **that** fight that got me nervous.

Metal Madness became complete, turning into Metal Overlord. The only difference was the huge metallic wings and him no longer needing to stay attached to the Final Fortress.

**I** sure as heck don't wanna know how the final battle turned out, so I raced into a nearby chamber. Turning on the lights, I saw nothing but silver-and-red pods, each containing a green liquid.

The sights got me a little weary, so I made my way down farther. I didn't even know I reached the end until bumping into the last pod.

This pod was rusted in some areas, and the liquid was a deep-blue. A keyboard stood before the pod, asking for a password. I didn't have the patience to play a guessing game, so I hacked into the system using my electric powers.

A faint click, and the rusted pod opened. The being inside nearly made me faint.

It was a Chao with a red-and-white striped torso, a blue head, and blue arms and legs. His eyes were red against white, and a white star mark covered his right eye. The tips of his head, hands, and feet were white, as was the star-shaped orb above his head. Spiky red wings finished the look.

For what felt like eternity, the two of us just stared at the other, unsure of what to do.

"_Chao?"_

A question mark formed above the creature's head, showing confusion. I remember Cream saying an icon forms from a Chao's orb to represent their current emotion.

"_...I-It's ok, I'm a friend."_

I twisted the dial on my watch, and through a flash of light came my real voice and identity; a gray hedgehog with white skin and dark-gray eyes.

"_You were nameless, and I gave you a name. You are Stars the Spangled-Chao. And I am Bolt the Element-Hog."_

* * *

_**CLIFFHANGER SUCKAS! Don't worry, next chapter will come; can't promise you when, though.**_

_**And here we have the appearance of an alias, and the reappearance of an OC who wasn't even mentioned for 12 chapters! But I digress.**_

_**NOTE 1: The goggles at the beginning are a reference to the cartoon show **_**"My Life as a Teenage Robot"**_**. There, the goggles only let one see the future, not the past or present.**_

_**NOTE 2: The disguising wristwatch is a reference to a similar gadget in **_**"The Amazing Spiez!"**_**. You gotta check it out; it's awesome!**_

_**NOTE 3: The name Phosphorus is a reference to Phosphora, Goddess of Lightning, from **_**"Kid Icarus: Uprising"**_**.**_

_**SPOILER!: Energy draining + shedding of alias + long-awaited reunion = the next chapter!**_


	16. Disguised Surprise Part 2

**Chapter 16: Disguised Surprise Part 2**

**Even though I got an extended weekend **_**(parent-teacher conferences)**_** I'M ON A ROLL 2-NITE! 8D**

**Bread Roll: GET OFF OF ME! D8**

**Me: Ok, just let me get my supplies. :P **_***pulls out knife and butter***_

**Bread Roll: 0_o' Oh crap...**

**Admova ad adkaznasci: ja nie zjaŭliajusia ŭladaĺnikam Sonik akcioraŭ. Jany naliežać da Sega, Sonic Team, i Arčy **_**(Belarusian)**_**.**

* * *

_The battle's over; we finally won - or __**have**__ we?... Has he been planning this all along?... A machine that captures and drains energy... "__You have the pleasure of being my first victim.__"..."__Because of that accursed hedgehog, I can never see her again.__"... I can't die now; I __**won't**__ die now!... "__Answer me, Mr. Ovi!__"_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

_Previously..._

_A faint click, and the rusted pod opened. The being inside nearly made me faint._

_For what felt like eternity, the two of us just stared at the other, unsure of what to do._

"Chao?"

"...I-It's ok, I'm a friend."

_I twisted the dial on my watch, and through a flash of light came my real voice and identity; a gray hedgehog with white skin and dark-gray eyes._

"You were nameless, and I gave you a name. You are Stars the Spangled-Chao. And I am Bolt the Element-Hog."

* * *

_And now, back to the show!_

The Chao stared into my eyes, determining if I was friend or foe. I remained before him, on one knee with a reinsuring smile and my right hand outward. Several minutes passed, yet I patiently waited. He had no reason to rush, both him and I knew that.

At long last, he placed his hand into mine, and his orb changed into a heart.

"_Chao ch-chao!"_

I felt Stars lay his head on my shoulder, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck. A hug... Tears started to form, and a smile crept onto my face. I haven't seen the Chao since-

...Oh **crap,** I totally forgot!

"_Stars, we __**have**__ to go back outside. I need you to remain __**hidden**__ 'till I say so. Got it?"_

"_Chao chao!"_

Twisting the watch's dial once again, I disguised myself as Phosphorus the Tiger, an alias I made in **literally** under 2 minutes. Stars didn't question my "disappearance", so he knows I'm wearing a costume. Good; the last thing I need is a Chao freaking out.

Then again, it wouldn't matter soon enough.

* * *

Stepping out of the chamber, a bright flash blinded my eyes. Broad daylight... Metal Overlord **must** be defeated.

My face was hidden under the cloak's hood, and Stars was hitching a ride in the cloak's endless pocket. Pretty handy way to carry a Chao, if I do say so myself.

Dr. Eggman had come out of his hiding spot. Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic - the latter in his Super Form - descended onto the metallic ground, tired from their mid-air melee. Metal Sonic was back to normal, and apparently shut-down.

Everyone else began to go their separate ways: Rouge decided to try and snag the Master Emerald **yet again,** but Knuckles got in her way. Cream and the indigo cat - whose name is Big the Cat - watched Amy **/ **Pinky pursue after a runaway Sonic. Shadow, Tails, and the big robot - codenamed E-123 Omega - observed the shut-down Metal Sonic. As for the Chaotix Trio...

"_Well boys, another case solved! I say we head home for the day."_

"_But Vector, what about our money?"_

"_**Oh crap,**__ you're right! Eggman, you slime-ball! Get __**back**__ here!"_

The doctor - who was trying to sneak away - began to burst into a full-out sprint, running from the detectives.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the man's misfortune. Out of all of us, he's **got** to have the worst of luck. Looking around, I figured it was safe.

"_Psst, Stars. It's time."_

The red-white-and-blue Chao poked his head out of the pocket. For the first time in his life, he saw daylight. I pulled back my hood, and tried to help Stars stay air-born. Since he hasn't lived that long, he might as well be a newly-hatched Chao. As such, it's my duty as his caretaker to... well, take care of him.

Lucky for me, the little guy was a quick learner. In no time at all, Stars was doing loop-de-loops and mid-air twirls. Rogue robot defeated, teaching a cute creature... **Nothing** can ruin today!

Then, **this** happened.

"_OH HO HO HO! You thought Metal Sonic was the end? He was just the prologue; time for the __**next**__ chapter! Launch the Egg Beater!"_

A massive robot jumped down onto the earth. Its body was red, black, and round. The legs were black and silver, with rocket boosters in the heels. Covering its left arm was a star-covered shield, and the right hand held a large checkered flail. Each hand had laser-blasters on the wrists, and missile-launchers on the robot's shoulders. The head had a metallic mustache, and spikes on the top. Same for the shoulders and the feet.

The left hand was raised, revealing a hole in the palm. The hole glowed a bright neon green, then fired a massive laser. Shadow, Omega, and Metal Sonic were hit, and I watched them dissolve away.

"_How the... What'd you __**do**__ to them, Eggman! ?"_

"_Oh me? I did nothing, Blue Boy - except lock them away in my Egg Grapes! And __**everyone**__ will soon follow! Now hold still!"_

More lasers were fired, at both the Final Fortress and down below. I hadn't noticed 'till now that we were directly above New Mobotropolis.

Yeah, not good.

Screams of terror echoed from below, as more and more Freedom Fighters were hit and captured. The Final Fortress was being attacked as well with a second blaster from the right hand.

Rouge kept dodging, but began to tire out and was soon captured. Cream was nearly hit twice, but Big took the first blow by standing in front of her. The second time, Charmy pushed her out of the way. In the end, both Cream and Cheese lost. Vector tried to counterattack with his fire-breath, but it was useless and he was soon hit. Sensei Espio turned invisible, but the robot must have had infrared-vision because he too failed to escape.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy have scattered into hiding. That left me and my Chao wide open. Eggman didn't notice us instantly, so I held Stars close and sprinted toward the Final Fortress' Control Tower.

"_You're not escaping __**me,**__ stripes!"_

The tower was ripped away by the Egg Beater, and a bright laser hurtled down from above. The last sound I heard was my shrill screams.

* * *

_**[Eggman's P.O.V]**_

New Mobotropolis trashed: check.

Freedom Fighters captured: check.

Chaotix captured: check _(though that armadillo left some dents in the armor)_.

Draining of energy: not yet, but soon.

The one I lost avenged: not until the captives are empty husks of their former selves.

I viewed the blue hedgehog drop to his knees, looks of pure rage and contained anger escaping from within.

"_How do you like __**that,**__ hedgehog? I have the upper hand; I've captured your friends and family, and you're left with not even a __**single**__ Power Ring! Now you know how __**I**__ feel when you defeat me, and what do __**you**__ think, hmm? Anyhow, I've some energy to drain from my captives. _'Sayonara'_, Sonic the Hedgehog."_

I piloted the Egg Beater back to base, where my Egg Grapes and nephew were waiting. I stared back at the distraught Mobian.

Sonic emotionally scarred: check.

* * *

_**[Bolt's / Phosphorus' P.O.V]**_

I awoke to a bright light, and several voices of mixed emotions. Stars - who also fainted - slowly climbed out of my pocket. What he and I saw was heart-stopping.

Beings - both Mobian and human - locked individually in glass spheres. Each person kinda just... hovered in there, like there was zero gravity in the spheres. About a dozen or so each were bunched together, hooked to poles hanging from the dome-shaped ceiling. These must be the Egg Grapes.

My cage was surrounded by the rest of the Chaotix. Vector and Mighty tried to bash their way out, but the glass seemed unbreakable. Both looked pretty steamed. Charmy and Ray were freaked out, though mostly the latter. The former was trying to piece everything together. Out of everyone who was captured, Sensei Espio was the only calm person, as he was currently meditating.

Surprisingly, I didn't see Knuckles; hopefully he escaped.

I noticed several other captives: Rouge tried to Screw-Kick her way out, but in vain. Vanilla the Rabbit was comforting her crying daughter, their cages next to each other. Antoine De-Coolette and Bunnie Rabbot - both recently engaged to each other - had also tried and failed to escape. Along with them were Sally Acorn and the Republic of Acorns, her family. I even saw Shadow, though he appeared to be slouching in his cage. Guess Chaos-Control didn't work.

Near the chamber's only exit was a platform with several controls. At those controls stood a human male with blue eyes. He had to be shorter than a Mobian **half** his age! He wore a green-and-white jacket, black pants with matching boots, and white gloves. His crooked nose was turned slightly upward, and the little hair he had left was in a comb-over.

Was he the doctor's assistant, maybe his right-hand man? Well, whatever; either way, the short guy's still the enemy.

The doors slammed open, and Dr. Eggman strode in, looking proud of himself. He hunched over the controls, and began to speak.

"_Good day to you all. For those who don't know me, I am the __**all-powerful**__ genius and dictator, Dr. Ivo Robotnik! Some of you may know me as the former Julian Kintobor; others know me as Dr. Eggman. I prefer the latter name, if you don't mind._

"_Now then - since you're all going to die, I'll explain my plan: The machines you rest in now are called Egg Grapes. Designed to imprison and drain energy from anyone who's captive inside. With all the energy collected from you worthless beings, I'll be able to negatively charge my prizes. This negative energy will slide back into your corpses, making you my __**mindless slaves!**__ OH HO HO HO HO!"_

Everyone was sent into a full-out panic; even Shadow and Sensei Espio began to freak. Ignoring the scared shouts, the doctor began to pick his first victim.

"_Let's see... no, no, no... he'll never do... not enough- AH __**HA!**__ Snively, EG-237!"_

"_Yes, sir."_

The short man - apparently named Snively - pulled at the controls and selected a cage. It was like those crane games you see in an arcade.

So why did the prize have to be **me! ?**

I managed to hide Stars in my pocket and pull on my hood just in time. My cage was brought forward to the platform, right in front of the doctor. Both him and his assistant stared at me with discourage.

"_Ok, wise guy; remove the hood."_

"_And __**why**__ should I?"_

"_No joy in killing a person with a hidden face."_

I didn't feel like arguing, so I revealed the face of my alias. Blue-and-black fur, a white muzzle, bright-yellow eyes with thick eyelashes. 3 piercings on each ear, and part of my fur was in a ponytail. That's when I felt something glaring at me from behind.

_***sigh***__ "Stop drooling, you morons. I'm not interested."_

"_Aww..." "Come on!" "Just a little longer?"_

Ahh, much better.

"_Now then - you, my dear, have the grand honor of being the first victim to fall to the Egg Grapes. Before turning into an empty husk, have you any last words?"_

"_Yeah... Why the heck are you __**doing**__ this! ?"_

A long, eerie silence fell upon the chamber. The doctor hung his head low before responding.

"_No one accepted my works of genius, or appreciated my doings. So, why should I do the same to __**them?**__ I had visions of a __**bright**__ and __**better**__ future for Mobius, yet everyone mocked my dreams. Not only that, the blue hedgehog made the __**greatest**__ mistake by opposing me 5 years ago! All living creatures - human and Mobian - are fools._

"_All of them... except __**her**__..."_

This got everyone quite baffled, including Snively. Perhaps what Eggman faced was too personal for anyone to hear. Me, I just played along and acted confused.

"_It's __**all**__ Sonic's doing... Because of him, the young child I cared for is gone forever... Every catastrophe I've caused since that day has been in her name. By __**ruling**__ this world with an iron fist, she __**will**__ be avenged..."_

"_Hey, __**wait**__ a sec! Would this girl even __**approve**__ of what you've done! ?"_

"_**Enough!**__ Snively, begin energy-draining!"_

A lever was pulled, and the chaos began.

My glass cage instantly grew ice-cold, and I could feel my body become weaker with every passing second. All the others captives either looked away in fear, or fixated their gaze on my slow death. During the entire time, Eggman watched with cruel amusement in his eyes.

"_...Y-Y-You've d-done __**far**__ too m-much d-damage on s-so m-many innocents, a-all in t-the n-n-name of a c-child w-who c-c-could be h-here t-this v-v-very moment!"_

"_Don't waste your last breathe; I would __**know**__ if she was in this chamber."_

"_I-Is __**that**__ s-so? T-That child h-has grown, d-doctor; s-she m-might be here, aware o-of y-your e-evil d-d-deeds! A-And w-what would s-s-she think about a-all the h-horrors y-you've done! ?"_

I pounded my fist in pure rage against the thick glass, leaving several cracks in its wake.

_**"Well! ? Answer! ANSWER ME, MR. OVI!"**_

* * *

_**[Dr. Eggman's P.O.V]**_

_Answer me, Mr. Ovi..._

_Mr. Ovi..._

_Mr. Ovi..._

The tiger's voice echoed through my head, forcing me to stop the draining process.

That name... I haven't heard that name since...

* * *

_**[Cue Flashback]**_

About 4 years ago...

_Christmas was approaching fast, and it showed. Piles of brightly-wrapped presents sat under the base's main Christmas tree. Both Bokkon and Cubot were practically jumping with glee, eager to rip open their gifts. Now, two hyperactive robots I can handle. But ever since we got a new member on out side, I'm starting to worry about my mental health._

"Is it almost time? Is it, is it! ?"

"Not quite, dear. Just be patient."

"I'm **trying,** but it's not easy! You know it's been my first Christmas ever since... **that**..."

_The new member in question was a 6-year-old gray hedgehog by the name of Bolt. Now, I know what you're thinking: __**why**__ would an evil dictator take in an orphaned Mobian? To answer, it's a long story..._

_A flash on the monitor caught my eye. Reports say it's that annoying blue hedgehog. Security is at maximum strength, but I still feared for the girl standing next to me right now. Perhaps..._

"Hmm... Actually, how's about I let you have an early Christmas present?"

"**Really! ?** Alright!"

_I pulled out a box wrapped in red paper and tied with a white ribbon. In split seconds of arrival, the box's lid was removed and Bolt stared at the gift._

"A cloak?"

"A **magical** cloak. Whoever wears this can store a limitless amount of items in the pockets."

"Like black holes?"

"Ha ha ha, something like that. This has been passed down to every generation of my family, and I want you to have it."

_The hedgehog now didn't see a worn-out cloak, but the greatest treasure in all of Mobius. Her response was a tight embrace around my neck._

"Thank you, thank you, thank you **so** much! You're my best friend in the whole world, Mr. Ovi!"

* * *

_**[End Flashback]**_

That hedgehog was the only being who called me by that name. So how did this tiger find out?

Unless...

The Mobian in front of me was breathing heavily, extremely worn out from the energy drain.

"_I know you... and you know me, doctor..."_

She ripped off her wristwatch and smashed it against the glass sphere, the device shattering upon impact. A bright flash of light obscured my vision. When the light died down, a new being took place.

Where the blue-and-black tiger once stood, was now a gray female hedgehog with white skin and dark-gray eyes. The black cloak and weakness remained.

Tears form in the hedgehog's eyes, and she trembled. Quick, sharp breathes were taken in, as if she was hyperventilating. The two of us made wide-eyed contact, like we were seeing ghosts.

"_Do you... remember who... I am, doctor...? It's... It's me, Bolt..."_

I couldn't hold it in any longer, and I openly wept. To see the one I cared for alive again... It was like a part of myself came back to life... Let my enemies stare in wonder; let them mock me, I don't care any more! What matters now is **her...**

_**SMASH!**_

The shattering of glass snapped me back to reality. Standing on one of the front Egg Grapes was Sonic; he held an unconscious Bolt in his arms, and hatred filled his cold gaze.

"_I'm making sure Bolt's alright; you get __**that**__ much of a head-start, Eggman!"_

**No!** Not again! I can't - I **won't** let him take her away!

Unfortunately, Snively had other plans.

My nephew grabbed my arm, and pulled me toward the exit. Several scenes took place back in the chamber:

Amy Rose and Knuckles the Echidna were bashing away at the Egg Grapes, freeing all the captives. Miles "Tails" Prower was hacking into the base's system using Nicole, that AI computer. Sonic had laid Bolt down on the platform, checking her pulse. But one look at her confirmed she was alive:

Through her unconscious, she was smiling.

* * *

_**And we're done - for now! Updates will come next month, and in the meantime, check out my latest Halloween one-shot **_**"Poltergeist Pranks"**_**.**_

_**At long last, this story's main character has been reunited - both with a Chao and a mad scientist! Should it really be this touching?**_

_**NOTE 1: I really don't know what the energy-draining process was like in STH comic #176. So I assumed.**_

_**SPOILER!: Newcomers, marriage, space battles - it's all in the next chapter!**_


	17. Newcomers

**Chapter 17: Newcomers**

**I AM ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! ...Sorry, had to do that...**

**Happy Late Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday! How many of you fell asleep after the feast? And did you eat any pie? **_**(I myself am not one for pie; yeah, I'm insane)**_

**Asbīkr̥ti: Āmi Sonic ḍhālā'i kinabēna nā. Tārā Sega, Sonic ṭima, ārci antargata **_**(I'm still doing disclaimers in different languages using Google Translate. This one's Bengali)**_**.**

* * *

_How long have I been out?... "__I now pronounce you husband and wife!__"... "__We have located suspicious activity in Hill-Top Zone.__"... Two unidentified creatures... The key to the future... "We need you help."_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

_..._

_..._

"_...hey..."_

_..._

_..._

"_...wake up..."_

_..._

_..._

"_GET UP ALREADY!"_

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**_

Yeah, not the best wake-up call...

My first notice was that I was surrounded by the Freedom Fighters; Sally Acorn, Nicole, Antoine D' Coolette, and Bunnie Rabbot. Sonic's family was there as well, along with Mighty and Ray _(the former yelled in my ear)_.

My second notice - I carried **the** worst headache on all of Mobius!

That's when everything came rushing back.

"_**Oh my gosh!**__ How long have I been out! ? Where's the rest of the Chaotix! ? Where's Dr. Eggman! ? What happened to Stars! ? __**Did anything happen to me! ?**__"_

By this point I was hyperventilating, on the edge of losing my mind. Had it not been for Mighty and Mr. Jules holding me down, I would have sprinted off in a heartbeat. However, the armadillo and robot had me pinned on the bed I woke up on, the latter trying to get me to calm down.

"_Relax, child; everything's alright. You're in the New Mobotropolis Infirmary; you've been recovering from the Egg Grapes incident. Do you remember that?"_

"_Y-Yeah...I do..."_

"_Good; Sonic rescued you from Dr. Eggman's clutches, and you passed out from lack of strength from the energy draining. We found a Chao hiding in your cloak, who said he belongs to you and that his name is Stars the Spangled-Chao. He's currently in the Chao Gardens, being taken care of,"_

Stars is alive and well, oh thank the gods!

"_The Chaotix and the doctor himself... They're in outer space as we speak for unknown reasons. As for you, the Egg Grapes have drained a vast majority of your Inner Chaos, according to Knuckles. He said you can no longer tap into the Chaos Emeralds' energy."_

That's all I lost? My Inner Chaos?...I guess I could live with that; Knuckles' classes were boring, anyway.

"_How long have I been out?"_

The others glance at one another with worried looks, then Ray spoke.

"_...It's been 2 weeks...since the Egg Grapes incident..."_

"_Oh...I guess I missed the wedding, huh?"_

They expected me to go into a full-out panic, but I actually handled it very well. By the way, I'm referring to Antoine's and Bunnie's wedding. They were scheduled to be married on September 1st, an entire week ago.

"_Actually, dearie, we postponed."_

"_...Say __**what?**__"_

"'_Oui'; 'tis true, madame. I had ze day of wedding stopped, so you may be there. We wanted __**all**__ ze Fighters of Freedom to join in our revelry."_

"_But I'm no Freedom Fighter; you guys barely __**know**__ me! And just because I can't participate doesn't mean you have to __**wait**__ to be married."_

"_Ya may be right, dearie. But y'all part of the Chaotix, and anyone who can stand up ta Eggman without a fear in the world...That there's courage. And I'll say ya gotta __**ton**__ of it! Y'all a Freedom Fighter and one heck of a bud in ma book."_

* * *

I still recalled everything Antoine and Bunnie said back then.

And now here I stand at the alter the next day, as one of the bridesmaids. Amy would have done it, but she's in outer space right now. In fact, a **lot** of the heroes are absent from Mobius! Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream and Cheese, Rouge, Shadow, Dr. Eggman and his robots. Vector, Charmy, and Sensei Espio left a few days after the others departed.

Back to the present; I was wearing my best outfit: black dress pants, matching flats, and a silver blouse with black trim and a matching sash. My quills were held in a high ponytail with a white band. I still wore my dark-gray gloves, and now I had earrings - 3 white piercings on each ear _(they're the kind that clip on your ear instead of going through it)_. They were a gift from Tails, and according to the note left next to them, these piercings are really mini-grenades; pluck them off, throw at the target, and upon contact they'll blow up anything within a 10-foot radius. Perfect replacements for my old exploding marbles!

But, I digress, so let's get back to the subject at hand.

Standing next to me was Stars, wearing a red Chao-sized bow-tie. Across the alter - in place of Sonic, the original best man - was Mighty, wearing a black dress jacket, a white collar shirt, and a red bow-tie. Ray - in similar clothing but minus the tie - held a cushion with 2 gold rings. Behind the alter was Sally's brother, Elias Acorn, who was recently crowned king. And the groom himself was at the bottom of the alter, in a black-and-gold Royal Army outfit - and apparently dying from anxiety.

The church organ - played by Ms. Vanilla - struck up the traditional "Wedding March" song. And the bride came down.

One word: magnificent. Bunnie's golden fur was pulled into a bun, and a silver tiara rested on her head. A white arm-length glove covered her organic arm, while her metallic arm remained the same. She was adorn in a white strapless gown with a silver sash. A silk veil obscuring her facial features completed the look.

She didn't have a father, so Mr. Jules was locked arm-to-arm with Bunnie. Upon reaching the base of the alter, the robot stepped aside to let the future newlyweds rise up. The bride handed her bouquet of flowers to me. White daisies; good choice.

The entire speech thing lasted about an hour or so; I lost track of time and I was getting **bored!** So you have **no** idea how relieved I was when Elias said _"I now pronounce you as husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."_

I'll admit - I find the last part disgusting. But hey, I'm only 10 years old! What do ya expect?

* * *

The reception was **very** crazy, mainly because Ray got a sugar rush and started a food fight. Then when Mrs. Bernadette tried to give a short speech, she buckled from emotion and started bawling like there was no tomorrow! And then Mighty met Nicole in her lynx form for the first time, and he thought she was a **real** lynx! Believe me when I say he thought she was "the most **beautiful** being on **all** of Mobius". So imagine his shock upon finding out she's a **computer!** Photo of that reaction = Instant blackmail, baby!

Then stuff kinda went south.

It happened when I was eating my third helping of the cake _(2 weeks of unconsciousness __**really**__ starts an appetite!)_. My wristwatch communicator I got from G.U.N signaled a call from H.Q.

_***bzzzt***__ "__Agent Bolt, we have a mission for you. Suspicious activity has been noted in Hill-Top Zone, reports of flying objects and fire. Locate the cause, and bring them to head-quarters.__"_

"_But sir, what if the cause is just a bunch of pranksters? __**Then**__ what?"_

"_Leave them off with a warning. I've pinpointed your current location, and Omega's on his way. Good luck, agent.__"_

"_Wait sir, did you just-"_

He already logged off.

Oh crap...

_**SMASH!**_

"_E-123 Omega reporting for duty, Agent Bolt."_

"_...__**right**__ in the middle of the reception hall, and on the cake...I'm gonna __**kill**__ the commander..."_

* * *

_One awkward explanation later..._

In my opinion, the mission was supposed to be a stealthy one. So it's **not** good when you have walking arsenal with a noisy built-in jet-pack as your team-mate! Not to mention a hyperactive Chao.

And if anyone's confused right now, let me explain: After I woke up yesterday, I got a call from G.U.N asking about my condition and **all** that crap. They also told my about my future team-mates. Lo and behold, I now work alongside Shadow, Rouge, and Omega. And I **really** don't know if that's a good thing.

But, I digress again.

The source of the fire activity and flying objects came from the westside of Angel Island, where Hill-Top Zone is located. To be more specific, a small clearing near the zone's borderline.

And this got me very, **very** worried. Why?

Around the time I turned 10, Vector began to complain about "not having enough leg room in the agency". So we agreed to have separate homes; Mighty's now living in a cave he spruced up near the Master Emerald Shrine. Vector, Charmy, and Sensei Espio stayed in the agency. Knuckles and Ray - who like to be in the open - don't have a permanent abode on the island, though they'll stay at the agency or Mighty's cave at certain times.

As for me, I like to be alone and surrounded by nature. So I began to build a small cabin for one in Hill-Top Zone, in an area with a great view for the sunset.

Guess what area that was?

I landed near the surrounding trees, searching for **any** hints of recent activity. All I spied was grass, a lake, and the base of my soon-to-be log cabin with a brick chimney. I gave a signal to Omega and Stars, telling them to stay put. Becoming one with the earth _(good thing I was wearing my normal clothes)_, I silently moved around the clearing looking for commotion.

**Voices.**

2 unknown voices echoed from inside the unfinished cabin. I came to the surface, pulled on my cloak's hood _(you never know)_, turned invisible, and peeked inside.

The first being I saw was a lilac cat with amber eyes. Her fur was pulled into a high ponytail, held by a ruby-red band. The ends of her tail and fur were violet. A matching jewel rested on her forehead. She wore a violet robe with a gold collar and red trim, white gloves, matching tights, and magenta shoes with a white stripe and a good-sized heel. She had to be 12 or so.

Her companion was a silver-colored hedgehog with golden eyes surrounded by a black mark like mine. He had 5 small quills sticking up on his forehead, so it resembled a maple-leaf. 2 larger quills jutted out from the back of his head, and white fur circled his neck. He wore white gloves with cyan circles on the palm and backside. A pair of gold cuffs covered his wrists and forelegs, each with a cyan line. His boots were black-and-turquoise, with a white stripe and a red jewel at the top. He looked about 14 years old.

I can't help but feel the hedgehog seems incredibly familiar. Sure, I saw him in one of my visions, but it's not **that.** Perhaps their conversation will shed some light.

"_I'm __**telling**__ you, the key to saving the world __**will**__ arrive at __**this**__ very location!"_

"_But what if your mentor's wrong? May I remind you, this wouldn't be the __**first**__ time. For all we know, we might be in a __**different**__ time-line!"_

"_**Please**__ don't remind me of that one incident..."_

...Ok, this isn't getting me anywhere...Alright, Plan B: Come out and introduce yourself head-on. What could go wrong?

"_Uh, excuse me? I'm wi-"_

"_AAAAAH! SNEAK ATTACK!"_

I stand corrected.

* * *

_**[Omega's P.O.V]**_

An organic male voice rang through the surrounding atmosphere, followed by the shouts of a younger voice and the crackling noise of fire.

If the resistance wants to play dirty, then so be it!

I raced out of the forest, followed by the strange-looking Chao. My machine guns were locked and loaded, ready to annihilate the closest enemy; a cat-girl. **Target Confirmed.**

"_Yippie-ki-yay, pastel-colored resistance!"_

_**BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG! **_

_**FWOOM! **__"I don't think so."_

The cat stood before me, her palm aflame. She then outstretched her hands, and I was instantly caught in a ring of fire. With a harsh landing, I prayed Agent Bolt is doing better off than I am.

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

"_Psychic...Control!"_

Much like Shadow's Chaos Blast, a burst of neon energy ejected from the hedgehog. I was knocked off my feet, and landed in pain from the force. A wave of earth sailed toward the hedgehog, followed by a few electric spheres. All were dodged, but no matter.

I swiftly avoided his various punches and kicks, waiting for my window of opportunity. He pulled a roundhouse; perfect timing. I step-sided, and performed a move I learned from my ninjutsu class.

"_Velocity-Break Jutsu!"_

Anyone with quick eyes would have seen 3 separate beings darting around the area. And anyone with normal vision would have seen lightning-fast blurs striking the opponent with synchronized attacks.

"_AGH! STOP! OW! I SURRENDER! I SURRENDER!"_

I skidded to a halt before the hedgehog, whose body was greatly bruised. ...Maybe I overdid it a little...

* * *

_One fire-based and witty-comeback-involved fight between 2 girls later..._

Apparently, everything's a misunderstanding. The fire and flying objects were the 2 strangers getting through the forest. They both came from 200 years in the future to find - of all people - me, to leave a warning about events to come.

By the way, their names are Silver the Hedgehog and Blaze the Cat.

"_We came to tell you about a coming catastrophe, one that will happen a few years from now. __**You**__ are the key to stopping the rising madness."_

"_We'd tell you more, but __**that**__ would mess the space-time continuum. The other reason for finding you is that we're somehow __**stuck**__ in your time. We need a place to stay until we can go home."_

"_You're more than welcome to stay with me. And I'm sure G.U.N can help you get back home."_

With 4 extra hands for building the log cabin, I now have a pyro and a psychic for room-mates. I'm still blown back from the recent events, but I got used to it.

Still, why am **I** the one chosen to halt an upcoming apocalypse?

* * *

_**2 days and it's finished...**_

_**NOTE 1: Antoine and Bunnie **_**did**_** get married in issue #174.**_

_**NOTE 2: The part where Omega yells **_**"Yippie-ki-yay, pastel-colored resistance!"**_** comes from **_**"Sonic Universe #22"**_**.**_

_**NOTE 3: Silver's Psychic Control is his special move in **_**"Sonic Rivals 2"**_**.**_

_**SPOILER!: It's time to PAR-TAH!**_

_**B.T.W, vote on my very first poll, '**_**por favor**_**'! And don't say anything nasty like swear words or I'm not counting your vote!**_


	18. Troubles in Time

**Chapter 18: Troubles in Time**

**Remember how I said I'd update once each month? Guess who forgot and didn't post anything in December. Here's a hint: IT'S ME! I would have updated sooner, but I kept getting distracted. Reasons why are at the end of the story.**

**Anyway, Merry Late Christmas or whatever winter holiday you celebrate and a Happy New Year! I'm only gonna say I got **_**"Paper Mario: Sticker Star"**_** for Christmas 'cause I don't like to brag.**

**Miǎn zé shēngmíng: Wǒ méiyǒu zìjǐ de shēngyīn zhuǎnhuàn. Tāmen shǔyú shìjiā, yīnsù duì hé Archie **_**(This is in Chinese, the simplified version)**_**. **

**Also, I'm beginning each chapter with a quote or two from real-life people starting today! Enjoy!**

* * *

"_Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it." _

― _L.M. Montgomery, __The Story Girl_

"_There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying." _

― _Sarah Dessen, __Just Listen_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V]**_

After Silver's and Blaze's arrival, stuff stayed pretty boring - or as "boring" as it can get when living with a psychic and a pyro. The three of us had become close to the point where we're practically **siblings!**

Once, me and Silver were at the Metropolis Mall, and we overheard two humans saying we were "twin brothers" _(yes, at 12 years old I still look masculine)_. After staring at a mirror for 5 straight minutes, we concluded we do have **some** similarities. Anyway...

Sonic and the others returned from their outer space odyssey, tired yet thrilled to narrate their various adventures. The only ones who stayed silent were Shadow _(which is expected)_ and - oddly enough - Tails, who merely shut himself inside one of his workshops upon arrival.

I got all the info from Dr. Eggman, who I now simply refer to as "the Doctor". He explained the reasons for Tails' misery, hence why I spoke with the fox. Both of us can relate to losing a loved one; had I not talked to him, he'd probably still be locked up to **this** day! Yet here he is, as carefree as ever.

Too bad we'd all be reliving the past sooner than expected.

* * *

_2 years after eliminating the Metarex..._

"_He'll be here...any second!"_

Trying to outrun the Fastest Thing Alive is - obviously - no simple task. But by some odd fate, Tails arrived mere seconds before the blue hedgehog did. Speaking of the devil...

"_Hey, guys; you having a party or something?"_

3...

2...

1...

"_SURPRISE!__"_

Me and everyone else had set up a party for Sonic's birthday. Strangely enough, it felt like it's been **20** years instead of 17. Time flies when you're crushing evil!

Our location was in a vast field, one that Sonic runs through every day. Chili-dogs, cupcakes, and presents were piled on a wooden picnic table, decorated with balloons and streamers. In the center was a cake with 17 red candles and Sonic's face in blue icing.

Not even a single minute passed before the party was in full swing. Tails and Sonic made conversation, Amy **/** Pinky pursued the birthday boy _(again!)_, Rouge and Knuckles were **not** at each other's throats _(weird as it sounds)_, Blaze was talking with Cream, as they had become fast friends, and Charmy was tossing chili-dog after chili-dog into Vector's mouth, Sensei Espio shaking his head in exasperation.

Despite Shadow and Silver receiving invites, the two were no-shows. That would be expected from Shads, considering he loathes Sonic with a passion. Silver had "certain business in the future" to handle, but I think that's an excuse to put distance between him and Sonic. The two sorta struck a rivalry some months ago, when Sonic called Silver "Pothead the Porcupine". I **still** don't know what that means, and I **really** don't want to. But I digress.

I was resting on one of the tree branches, Rouge dangling from a higher branch nearby. We had both forgiven each other for past events, and more or less settled our differences. Basically, we're friendly rivals, kinda like Sonic and Knuckles. Speaking of him...

"_Hey Rouge, what were you and Knux talkin' 'bout?"_

"_Nothing much; just the usual banter."_

"_That didn't sound like it; if it __**was**__ that, Knuckles would be on a rampage right now."_

"_Look, can you __**please**__ drop the subject? We talked, we laughed, we cried, end of story!"_

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"_You like him, right?"_

"_WHAT! ?"_

"_It's pretty obvious; you've been visiting Angel Island __**every**__ week, you __**always**__ leave 'empty-handed', and if I'm not mistaken, you're wearing a different make-up brand today, along with a subtle yet stunning pair of round diamond stud-earrings encased in platinum. Am I right or am I right?"_

"_...How did y-"_

"_Detective, remember? We're __**supposed**__ to observe and memorize the finest details. So, you 'like-like' Knuckles, correct?"_

"_... ...I ... ...I d-"_

_**WHOOSH!**_

Without warning, a massive blast of wind from the north struck all of us. I could tell it was **meant** to hit this very location. Definitely not natural.

And then, it appeared.

The being was hard to describe; it seemed to be woven out of smoke in shades of black and violet. 3 openings were in place of it's eyes and mouth. It's hands, ears, and teeth were long and razor-sharp. Attached to it's back was a set of massive black gears.

**Not** a good sign.

The beast summoned a plethora of magenta-colored portals, each portraying a different area. They surrounded the smoke monster, who lifted it's left hand at a certain individual.

Surprise, surprise! It's me.

A bright laser shot from the beast's hand, the light causing temporary blindness. When my vision restored, I was encased in a translucent violet orb hanging in mid-air. Tails, Cream, Charmy, and Rouge attempted to break me free, but in vain. Not even a Screw-Kick penetrated the orb! My attacks did nothing as well.

I was trapped, and **nothing** could be done.

* * *

_**[Sonic's P.O.V]**_

Worry.

We all felt it when that monster appeared, and we feel it right now.

I knew of Bolt's capture, but my Spin-Dashes didn't break the orb. Knuckles' Shovel Claws left not a scratch, Espio's exploding shuriken wasn't the answer, even Amy's Piko-Piko Hammer did nothing _(yes, she tried to save her rival-for-life; don't ask why)_.

The orb was grasped by the beast before vanishing, and the various portals began to suck everyone in, like vacuums. Charmy was the first victim, sucked into a portal showing little aliens and a vast forest. Amy was sent to some kind of factory, Espio and Knuckles were sent into 2 different ruins, while Vector, Rouge, Cream, and Blaze got trapped in 4 cities.

"_Hey, dude; __**not**__ cool!"_

In hindsight, attacking the monster head-on with a Homing Spin-Dash was a **very** stupid idea.

The last thing I saw before blacking out was Tails being pulled into the last portal, his cry ringing in my ears.

"_H-Help us, __**Sonic!**__"_

* * *

_**[Bolt's P.O.V.]**_

I remember hearing screams and callings of my name, Pinky yelling at me to "fight back like a **real** tomboy", Charmy trying to comfort me by saying he'll get me out. I remember spying Sensei Espio with looks of concern for me and rage at the beast.

I don't remember waking up in an unknown location full of bronze gears, my wrists and ankles being chained to the floor, or a pair of beings looming over me. As such, I did the obvious: scream like heck!

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"_

"_Calm down, hedgehog. It's alright."_

The taller of the duo was Dr. Eggman; the other looked similar but not exact. He was much rounder in shape, almost like a sphere. His mustache was longer and a lighter shade of brown. His glasses were a sky-blue instead of black. His clothes were a red shirt, a yellow cape attached at the front, black pants with white buttons, matching boots, and white gloves.

Was this shorter man related to the Doctor?

"_Are you __**sure**__ this rodent's the one, future-me? Doesn't look like a __**female**__ hedgehog."_

"_Of __**course,**__ my past-self; she holds the final piece of the essence. Besides, you're technically doubting __**yourself**__ when asking me if she's the one."_

"_My apologies; this whole time-space screw-up is quite baffling."_

Correction: they're one and the same.

"_Doctor? Why are __**you**__ here, and who's the other guy?"_

The Doctor I didn't know - the shorter one - spoke up: _"Ah, you're __**finally**__ awake; it's been 2 hours since your capture, by the way. You may be extremely __**confused**__ by your current situation, I assume. Allow me to explain:_

"_I am the Dr. Eggman of the past; you may call me 'Classic Eggman' and the other 'Modern Eggman'. You're being held in a different dimension, one me and my partner created from scratch. That blue __**annoyance**__ and his buddies are in White Space, a desolate pocket-dimension void of life and color. It's also the home of his past adventures __**and**__ my future failures, all of them __**erased**__ from the timeline."_

"_**Erased! ?**__ But __**how?**__ Why'd you __**do**__ it? How am __**I**__ involved in this?"_

The Modern Doctor - who I recognized - threw in his two cents:_ "Do you recall a dark beast appearing at the blue hedgehog's party? I discovered him in the outer reaches of space when I was traveling back to Mobius after the Metarex were eliminated. His powers were so unmeasurable, not even __**I**__ could comprehend how __**overwhelming**__ he truly was._

"_The beast became my secret project; spare time and massive research was spent on discovering his true might, and it stayed like this for 2 years. I still haven't found everything, but I've uncovered 2 important details: what his abilities can __**really**__ do, and how it connects to __**you,**__ my dear."_

"_How so?"_

"_**Patience,**__ little rodent," _mocked the Classic Doctor._ "__**All**__ will be revealed in due time. But for now..."_

A black-and-violet laser gun pointed straight at me. I had no time to react because I was already shot. Surprisingly, I didn't find myself standing in front of heaven's gateway. I'm not **dead,** thank the gods!

That's when I observed my surroundings.

It felt like I was in outer-space; just floating there, with no initial gravity - or for that matter, solid ground. Not even so much as a stone ledge. Everywhere I turned, the background was a neon pink _(ugh!)_ with puffs of black smoke and the occasional streak of white electricity.

As it turned out, the infinite-looking space **wasn't** so infinite. I assumed I was contained inside **another** orb, about 2 times larger than the last one; if the Doctors plan to use me as their private plasma-ball, they can think again!

"_You're in no position to demand __**anything,**__ you nasty little pincushion!"_

Was that the Doctor? Wait - there's only **one** person who he'd call a "nasty little pincushion".

"_SONIC!__Sonic, are you there! ? Get me out; GET ME OUT!"_

* * *

_**[Sonic's P.O.V]**_

Of course, old Egghead was the evil mastermind of today's adventure! _(cue major face-palm moment)_

But there were 2 things I didn't anticipate, the first being Eggman of the Past. The second being the following:

_***pound pound pound***_

Past Eggman merely chortled. _"Seems our little prisoner wants her freedom; the __**least**__ we can offer is one last glimpse of her friends!"_

A switch was pulled, and a section of the monster's torso pulled up like a window blind. In the center of the body was pink plasma and electricity encased in a glass orb, like those plasma balls you see in toy shops. But instead of a small lightning rod in the center, there instead was Bolt, pounding at the glass and shouting incoherently.

I tried to calm her down, but she didn't seem to hear me - that or her rage is blocking out all other sounds.

Present Eggman answered my question. _"Scream __**all**__ you want, hedgehog; she can __**only**__ hear me and my past-self through the glass."_

"_Why, Eggman! ? __**Why'd**__ you take her! ?"_

"_Oh, I have __**many**__ a reason to take back the one I call 'daughter'. But today's reason is none of them. Here, she's the final piece of the puzzle, the key to the lock, the... You know what? Let me start from the top._

* * *

"_Since Mobius' beginning, there had been 3 main deities: Chaos, God of Destruction; Dark Gaia, God of All Ends; Light Gaia, God of Rebirth. But there was a __**fourth**__ god, an __**unknown**__ god. He didn't even have a __**name.**__ The few who knew of his existence called him Sigan, God of Time._

"_Sigan greatly __**blessed**__ those who knew of him. His gift was a small portion of his power; the ability to control time and space. It had limits, but the people were __**so**__ excited, they formed a now-ancient clan of humans and Mobians named the Time-Keepers, disciples of Sigan._

"_The youngest of the early Time-Keepers - a cyan wolf - was Sigan's favorite mortal. He would tell stories to the wolf, __**unheard**__ tales that seemed true __**and**__ false all at once. The wolf's wisdom and abilities greatly expanded, eventually becoming the Time-Keepers' chief priest. The wolf's descendants would become the next priest when the current one died._

"_Everything seemed in order, until an unknown army attacked the clan. The Time-Keepers fought hard, but they __**lost**__ in the end. The chief priest at that moment - a bronze-colored hedgehog - received a message from Sigan, telling him to __**flee**__ with his family. Taking his wife and son, they left for Mercia._

"_The rest of the Time-Keepers were __**executed,**__ releasing their spirits and their time-space abilities. Those powers traveled back to Sigan, and-"_

"_HOLD IT! That's a nice history lesson, Egghead. But why did you kidnap Bolt? She controls __**nature,**__ not time."_

"_Oho, you want to know __**how**__ she's connected to all this, rodent? It's simple, really: That bronze hedgehog was her __**grandfather!**_

"_When he was near death due to lung cancer, he transferred his time-space powers over to her dad. It was to prevent an upcoming prophecy saying Sigan will destroy the universe._

"_Her father had no clue of that explosion 7 years ago. A majority of his powers were released, but one small portion __**somehow**__ found it's way to his only offspring, and it's been there ever since._

"_Since I would __**never**__ kill the one Mobian I ever cared for, I decided to create a machine that would remove the time-space abilities within her - quickly __**and**__ painlessly. This same machine would also be part of Sigan, whom I have kept hidden as my secret project for the past 2 years. Not only that, Bolt serves as a __**very**__ valuable and __**endless**__ power source! Quite the 3-for-1 deal, wouldn't you say?_

"_To assure there were no mistakes in my plan, I needed the aid of someone with the same motives and IQ. And what better person than __**myself?**__ With our combined genius and power, __**all**__ of the timeline will be erased then rebuilt as we see fit! Meaning a __**universal**__ Eggman Empire!"_

* * *

I'll admit, the plan seemed flawless. But alas, it's not. 'Cause there are two way-past-cool blue dudes standing between the docs and universal domination.

"_Hate to break to ya, doc. But it's __**one**__ godly machine versus __**two**__ super-speedy hedgehogs. I'd say the odds are in our favor."_

"_Let's see you say that again __**after**__ being crushed alive by the Time Eater!"_

"_Gotta __**catch**__ us first! Time to bust out the secret weapon!"_

The 7 Chaos Emeralds began to circle around my and my past-self. An energy burst exploded within me, and just like that, we had turned into Super Sonics.

"_It's __**on,**__ Eggma-"_

* * *

_***static***_

**Narrator:** We interrupt this fan-fiction to bring you a special news repo-

**HTB429:** _*bashes TV*_ Get back to the story!

**Narrator:** -and back to the story!

_***static***_

* * *

"_Hang in there, past-me. Just __**one**__ more hit and we'll save her."_

My younger-self silently nodded, as he can't speak for some reason. The plasma ball was coated in cracks, on the verge of shattering. We both charged up a Super Spin-Dash, and shot forward like bullets. One second we were golden spheres breaking the power source, the next I held Bolt in my arms bridal-style _(this is __**not**__ a sign of affection, you shippers!)_.

The Time Eater imploded, and there was a flash of blinding light. Mere seconds later, I found myself standing near the old picnic table in the field, the half eaten chili-dog landing in my palm. Heh, time travel.

My friends _(and 2 rivals)_ appeared from thin air, excited to be living again and **not** "hanging in limbo" as Tails put it. My past-self and Tails' past-self also arrived.

"_I'll admit,"_ Knuckles said. _"you did pretty well there, Sonic."_

"_Pretty well! ?"_ Amy shouted. _"Are you __**insane! ?**__ He was __**so**__ incredible and astounding like the hero he is!"_

"_You say that __**all**__ the time, Pinky,"_ Bolt stated. _"Anyway, thanks for the save, dude. I own ya one."_

"_No sweat; it's what I do! Now, we gonna __**party**__ or __**what! ?**__"_

"_HECK YEAH!"_

Stopping Eggman twice, reliving the past, **and** a jumbo chili-dog?

Best. Birthday. **Ever!**

* * *

_**I HAVE FINISHED! **_***dodges Bomb-ombs and heat-seeking missiles***_** And now I'm dead! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_

_**OK, here's what held me back from writing:**_

_**+ Christmas, duh!**_

_**+ My brother bought "Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition" the other day, and the game was freakin' awesome! And those Fatalities are sweeeeeet...**_

_**+ Trying to beat a level in "Paper Mario: Sticker Star"**_

_**+ Completing "Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask" **_**(I LOVE that series! Need 6th game now!)**_** and nearly crying at the end **_**(go ahead and laugh; you'd cry too!)**

_**+ I got an ice-cream hangover after a New Years' Eve party, but I'm better now. **_

_**Done ranting; here's some trivia:**_

_**NOTE 1: Keep Bolt's and Silver's similar appearances in mind. Writing that bit gave me an idea for the future. Hehehe...**_

_**NOTE 2: I can't remember where "Pothead the Porcupine" came from. If anyone can tell me, leave it in the comments.**_

_**NOTE 3: Rouge X Knuckles FTW! Yeah, I ship 'em.**_

_**NOTE 4: Me creating an entire back story for the Time Eater = proof I am a nerd with too much time on hand**_

_**NOTE 5: sigan = "time" in Korean**_

_**NOTE 6: That story interruption is a reference to "Dragon Ball Z Abridged". I don't remember which part.**_

_**I demand no flames and negative comments on "there's too much conversation; that back story sucked; blah blah blah". DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE! ? At least we now know why Bolt's dad's name is Time the Millennium-Hog. Also, NO SPOILER FOR YOU!**_


End file.
